THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress candidate D. Vijayakumar has smelt a rat in the huge defeat he has suffered in Chengannur. He has alleged that the Orthodox Church had struck a secret deal with the CPM to ensure the success of its candidate Saji Cherian. In return for the favour, the LDF government had promised to implement the Supreme Court order to open the disputed Piravom church for the Orthodox faction. Mr Vijayakumar claimed that Dr. Gabriel Mar Gregorios, Metropolitan of the Thiruvananthapuram diocese of the Orthodox Church, had held a secret meeting with the CPM leaders at Chengannur two days before the by-election to open the Piravom church.
Accordingly, Mr Biju Oommen, Orthodox sabha secretary, and six other senior priests along with the top brass of the CPM reached a pact as per which the LDF Government would intervene in favour of the Orthodox Church in the Piravom dispute. Bishop Gabriel had held talks with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram two days before the by-poll to appease the 28, 000 Orthodox voters in the constituency. Thereafter, Mr Vijayan sent the bishop to Chengannur in a government vehicle with police escort.
“Initially the bishop, Biju Oommen and six other priests held talks at Parumala church. Later, they shifted the venue to a hotel at Chengannur where a pact was entered with the top CPM leaders on the Piravom church, Mr Vijayakumar told DC. The Orthodox members in the constituency were then asked to vote for Mr Cherian. “If there was no consolidation of Orthodox voters against me, I would not have been defeated,” said Mr Vijayakumar.Confirming Mr Vijayak-umar’s claim, a top ‘A’ group leader said that Bishop Gabriel was close to Mr Vijayan.
However, Mr Biju Oommen told DC that the LDF government was yet to implement the Supreme Court judgment of July 3, 2017 stating that the Piravom church should be opened for the Orthodox faction. “I have not held any talks with anyone. But I do not know whether the bishop or anyone else had held talks at Chengannur. Our petition is being considered as the fifth case in the High Court on Tuesday and we hope for a favourable decision. I will respond in detail after the case is considered,” he said. The Jacobite-Orthodox row dates back to 1912 and has led to violence, including police action, on several occasions. Over 300 churches have been closed as a result of legal action and violence.
