UDF to avoid tainted people

KPCC foresees bid to tarnish Opposition front’s Padayorukkam campaign

Taking a cue from Kodiyeri Balakrishnan’s controversial luxury car ride at Koduvally during the LDF’s Janajagratha Yatra, the United Democratic Front (UDF) will exercise caution to keep off tainted people from its Padayorukkam campaign beginning from Kasaragod on November 1.

At a news conference here on Tuesday, KPCC vice president V.D. Satheeshan said on Tuesday that only selected leaders, approved by the UDF State committee, would be allowed to receive the Padayorukam team on the dais at reception meetings at different places.

The party leadership had got “credible inputs” that some people would attempt to infiltrate the local meetings to tarnish the image of the one-month long campaign led by Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala.

He said circulars had been issued to all party leaders at the block and district levels to maintain vigil against the background of the controversy that the car used by Mr. Balakrishnan was owned by a man allegedly accused in a gold smuggling case and that the vehicle had been registered under a fake address in Puducherry to evade tax. Besides, party leaders in all the 14 districts have been urged not collect money in the name of the campaign, Mr. Satheeshan added.

Senior leader A.K. Antony will flag off the campaign aimed at exposing the “anti- people” policies of the Narendra Modi government at the Centre and the CPI (M)-led LDF government in the State. AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi will address a public meeting at the culmination of the rally in Thiruvananthapuram on December 1.

Rallies

A host of Central and State leaders, including Ghulam Nabi Azad, Sharad Yadav, P. Chidambaram, Kapil Sibal, Jairam Ramesh, Mukul Wasnik, Anand Sharma, Sachin Pilot, Mani Shanker Iyer and Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, and Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy would address rallies in different districts.