THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Customs has launched a direct attack by filing an affidavit against the Chief Minister, the Speaker and other ministers in the run-up to the Assembly elections. The Left Front and the CPM are trying to overcome the crisis through a political counter-attack. The gold-dollar smuggling scandal and the central investigation agencies are sure to become a hot recipe in the Assembly elections.

An affidavit has been filed by the Customs in the High Court alleging direct involvement of the Chief Minister and the Speaker in the dollar smuggling. The affidavit is based on the confession of Swapna Suresh, the accused in the gold smuggling case. The affidavit also states that three ministers were involved.

The opposition is trying to use this as a sharp weapon against the government. Although the gold smuggling controversy was active during the local body elections, people felt that it was a smokescreen. The allegation has now been directly aimed at the Chief Minister. Opposition groups have called for the CM to resign and the move is to use it as a lethal weapon in the Assembly polls.

The CPM believes that the story, which was circulated months ago in the form of a confidential statement made by the accused before a magistrate, now has a political motive behind giving the affidavit. The CPM responded that central agencies had degenerated into political tools for the election campaign. Today, the LDF is staging a direct strike in front of the regional customs offices. This is to create political resistance through counter-attacks. The CPM reckons that the move by Customs the day after the Chief Minister harshly criticized the ED, who had filed a case against KIIFB, could convince the public that the move was politically motivated.

However, the UDF alleges that Customs has kept the statement secret for so long and that it is due to the CPM-BJP relationship.

The Opposition also thinks that the ED case in the KIIFB issue is a weapon for the CPM to propagate development achievements. Opposition groups suspect that all this could be a ploy by the CPM for their political campaign.

The BJP's move is to use the customs affidavit and the ED probe against KIIFB as a weapon against the government.