Not a party member, beloved of CPM, party paid highest amount to Mukesh among candidates

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite causing a lot of embarrassment to the government and front, CPM leaders are defending Mukesh MLA as he is so much needed by the party. Even though he is not a party member, he is still a beloved of the party. It was due to this love, Mukesh was chosen to contest against N K Premachandran in Kollam.

Even the party centers in the district had pointed that he was not a suitable candidate and that he had no chance of winning. The party did not consider that and made Mukesh the candidate regardless of that. Even the main parties of the Left demanded Mukesh's resignation after the sexual allegations, but the CPM has not paid much attention to it.

Among the candidates who contested the Lok Sabha elections, CPM paid the highest amount to Mukesh. According to the figures provided by the party to the Election Commission, Rs 79 lakh was paid to Mukesh on seven occasions. Such a sum was spent in a constituency where no one had predicted a chance of winning. It should be remembered that the Congress paid Rs 70 lakh each to Rahul Gandhi for election expenses in Wayanad and Rae Bareli in UP.

The party gave only Rs 5 lakh to former minister C Raveendranath, the symbol of simplicity in CPM. After Mukesh, CPM gave more money to V Joy who contested from Attingal. According to party figures, Rs 49 lakh was paid to Joy.

Meantime, the decision regarding Mukesh's resignation is expected to be taken at today's CPM Secretariat meeting. Mukesh is now in Kochi to meet his lawyer. It is reported that Mukesh is traveling in a vehicle without the MLA board.