Offered 30 crores to remain silent; CPM, govt on the defensive following Swapna's new revelations

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: While the CPM's Janakeeya Prathirodha Jatha is halfway through, Swapna Suresh's revelation that an attempt was made to silence her in the gold smuggling case by offering Rs 30 crore has put both the party and the government on the defensive. The new controversy erupted giving a villainous role to Jatha captain and CPM state secretary MV Govindan.

Swapna said that she was offered Rs 30 crores to withdraw allegations against the Chief Minister and his family and hand over the evidence. She also said that she was asked to leave Kerala after handing over the evidence. She continued by saying that MV Govindan had threatened to kill her her if she didn't comply with his orders. Meanwhile, Govindan has not responded to Swapna's revelations. The Jatha is now in Idukki. There is a press conference in Nedumkandam on Friday morning.

CPM will be attempting to dismiss the revelations as untrustworthy allegations. It may also argue that the central agenda is behind the allegations which were plotted in Bengaluru, the base of BJP. However, the back-to-back allegations raised against the party amidst the Janakeeya Prathirodha Jatha will be a headache for the government. The new revelations are likely to pave way for a heated exchange between the ruling front and the opposition when the Assembly reconvenes on Monday.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED), which is tightening its grip on the Life bribery case, is repeatedly interrogating M Sivasankar and CM Ravindran, Additional Private Secretary to the Chief Minister. The agency is also planning to interrogate them together. With Swapna's latest revelations, the gold smuggling case is getting a new dimension after a while. Swapna said that she has filed a complaint with the ED and the Karnataka DGP against the compromise attempt and threat made by middleman Vijesh Pillai after reaching Bengaluru. Investigating agencies will soon reach Kerala for Vijesh Pillai. The government will be more on the defensive with the gold smuggling being actively discussed along with the LIFE bribery case.

The opposition may not be ready to take up Swapna's allegation as it is. But the UDF is looking forward to the political repercussions it is likely to cause and the events that may happen in the coming days, including the LIFE case.