Communist Party of India (Marxist) State Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan has said that the WikiLeaks disclosures have proved the capitulation of the Congress to the imperialist designs of the United States.
Inaugurating an election convention of the Left Democratic Front here on Sunday to launch the campaign of CPI (M)'s Alappuzha candidate, Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac, Mr. Vijayan said the disclosures on a ‘pro-U.S.' Cabinet reshuffle showed the pathetic state of affairs to which the Congress had deteriorated.
The revelations on the ‘black money' in Swiss banks and ‘cash for votes' issues showed that the Congress itself was one big operator of such illegal wealth.
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It also explained why the United Progressive Alliance was reluctant to initiate a probe into the circulation of such money. The LDF did not have to do anything to put the UDF on the back-foot, with UDF leaders like P.K. Kunhalikutty themselves coming out with shocking confessions. Even in the case of the former minister R. Balakrishna Pillai, who was jailed, the LDF did not have to do much, because it was an Assembly committee comprising members including present UDF convener P.P. Thankachen, that had found irregularities in the Edamalayar dam dealings.
A special court had ruled Mr. Pillai guilty and though the High Court let him off, the Supreme Court had punished him.
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Citing the complaint lodged by the UDF with the Election Commission over the Rs.2-a-kilo rice scheme, Mr. Vijayan said the “Communist hatred” of the Congress-led UDF was turning out to be a torture for the poor in the State, who were deprived of rice for no fault of theirs.
The scheme was not in violation of the model code of conduct since it had been announced much before the poll notification was issued.
Mr. Vijayan said the Left would have to continue in power if the State had to move forward. The people across the State were aware of this.
Beware money power
However, the CPI (M) would have to be guarded against the flow of money to influence voters and also against false campaigns.