P K Sasi all set for European tour; govt to bear travel expenses

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM leader and former MLA P K Sasi is all set for a European sojourn. Last day, the government issued an order allowing KTDC chairman Sasi to travel abroad. The state government will bear the entire cost of the trip. Sasi is said to visit the UK and Germany to participate in the international trade fair. The travel will commence on November 3rd and the CPM leader will be back in Kerala by November 16th.

Sasi, the former Shornur MLA, is facing serious disciplinary action that also includes sexual allegations. The Palakkad district committee decided to remove PK Sasi from the post of Palakkad CITU district president the other day. The committee assessed it was inappropriate for someone facing serious allegations to continue in the post.

Earlier, the CPM district secretariat had asked the state leadership to remove Sasi from the post of KTDC chairman. However, the state leadership has not yet decided in this regard. According to the investigation report conducted by the CPM inquiry commission, Sasi diverted lakhs from the party fund and transferred it to his account. The Congress and the BJP will certainly take up the new government decision allowing Sasi to travel to Europe despite facing serious disciplinary charges. This is also expected to bruise CPM in their efforts to dethrone UDF supremacy in the upcoming Palakkad by-polls.

Rs 10 lakhs from the party office construction fund and Rs 10 lakhs from the district assembly fund were found to have been transferred by PK Sasi to his account. The commission's investigation report also mentioned Sasi’s extravagant lifestyle, a far cry from the purported communist model.

The cost of the 11-day trip will be borne by the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation.