Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has said that it is for the Janata Dal (United) to decide whether it should continue in the United Democratic Front (UDF), suffering humiliation being heaped on it as in the case of the editorial in the Congress organ Veekshanam .
At a press meet on Thursday, Mr. Balakrishnan recalled that a similar editorial that had appeared in the Desabhimani weekly of the CPI(M) had prompted A.K. Antony and his supporters to leave the LDF camp. “Despite clarification by EMS Namboodiripad that the editorial which attacked Mr. Antony was not reflective of the party line, Mr. Antony left the front,” he said. “I wonder why Mr. Veerendrakumar (JD(U) State president) continues in the UDF despite the humiliation,” he said.
The CPI(M) State secretary pointed out that the JD(U) had left the LDF in 2009 dissatisfied with tje sharing of seats in the Lok Sabha elections and not because of political difference.
“They left the LDF after finding it tough to get a Lok Sabha seat of their choice. The LDF will collectively take a decision on bringing them back once Mr. Veerendrakumar and his followers leave the UDF,” Mr. Balakrishnan said.
He, however, added that the LDF had never thought of bringing Kerala Congress (B) leader R. Balakrishna Pillai to its fold. “Mr. Balakrishna Pillai was jailed in a corruption case. Our decision is to seek his cooperation in the fight against corruption involving UDF Ministers such as K.M. Mani and K. Babu,” he said. “Only Mr. Balakrishna Pillai knows the extent of the corruption as he was then a UDF insider,” he said.
On Vizhinjam
Mr. Balakrishnan sought clarification on the reported warning of KPCC president V.M. Sudheeran against Ministers seeking bribe for projects. “The statement assumes significance in the backdrop of handing over of the Vizhinjam port works to the Adani group,” he said. He alleged that the Chief Minister had tried to appease Prime Minister Narendra Modi by handing over the work to the Adani group, favoured by the latter.
Says JD(U) has no political differences with LDF
Rules out bringing Balakrishna Pillai to LDF
