THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress worried about Govt toughening its stand against KPCC president K Sudhakaran in the Monson Mavunkal case. With less than a year left for the Lok Sabha elections, Congress suspects that the CPM is trying to turn the case into a political challenge

The move is to mount a strong defense alleging that the cases against the opposition leader and the KPCC president are political vendettas. However, it will be a challenge if the police dare to arrest Sudhakaran, and the Congress camp is active in discussions about how to deal with such a situation. Sudhakaran is also taking legal action to stop the police move. Sudhakaran and Congress argue that there is no substance in the case and there is a political conspiracy behind it.

However, the CPM is of the view that this is not a political vendetta like the UDF era. The CPM says that such cases were taken when Oommen Chandy was the chief minister, referring to the fact that the Lavlin case was handed over to the CBI. The CPM alleges that the case found by Vigilance to be free of corruption was handed over to the CBI as part of revenge.

CPM is of the position that Sudhakaran should be locked up by any means. However, Congress alleges that there was a move to frame the opposition leader and the KPCC president in cases when allegations of corruption were strongly raised against the government. Leaders say that the context of the cases also reinforces such a suspicion.

Was this needed now?

Doubts are being raised in the Left Front about whether cases should have been taken against the leader of the opposition and the KPCC president at a time when the factional war in the Congress over the block reorganization had intensified again. This is because after the cases came, the Congress leaders and members put aside their disputes and started defending unitedly.

CPM also concerned about ED intervention

The CPM is also worried about the unexpected intervention of the Enforcement Directorate in the case against K Sudhakaran. The question is whether BJP will use the ED intervention for political gains in the state during the Lok Sabha elections.

There is a question in the left camps whether an opportunity for ED intervention in the state ruled by the party itself should have been given when the CPM is continuously accusing the Center of misuse of investigative agencies for political purposes. There is also an assessment that dangerous political maneuvering may occur through ED intervention.

At the same time, the Congress also believes that the move to put the Congress and the UDF on the defensive ahead of the Lok Sabha elections will be taken by the Center through ED intervention. Countering this is also a challenge.