Bargate case: CPI blasts CPM

At the meeting held after the culmination of the secretariat march of party workers, CPI assistant secretary Prakash Babu opened the attack on the ‘big brother’ exposing the futility of the CPM demand for a court-monitored investigation by the Special Investigation Team of the state police. “It is not possible for any police officer in the state to question a powerful minister, let alone probe his wrong deals. The cops could question a minister only if he relinquishes his office. Mr Mani has to step down to ensure a free and fair inquiry,’’ he said.

The CPI, he said, was not a party to the LDF-UDF adjustment agitation on the Mani issue.

CPI state secretary Pannyan Raveendran, who inaugurated the secretariat march, also hit out at the CPM. “If anyone is planning to install a government with corrupt elements, let them go ahead with their plans. But the CPI will not be party to any such effort,’’ he said and added that certain people had tried to project Mr Mani as an ‘efficient’ finance minister who was capable of becoming the chief minister. The CPI leader was indirectly referring to the CPM’s recent attempts to bring Mr Mani into the LDF camp by offering him the chief minister’s chair.

He also indirectly hit out at the CPM for its failure to take the LDF’s recent agitations in the state to their logical conclusion. “The agitation launched against the hike in taxes by the UDF government ended mid-way. I am not saying anything at this stage on why the agitation ended abruptly. But I will definitely reveal the reason when the time comes,’’ he said and even referred to the solar agitation which failed miserably.

The issue will figure in the LDF meeting which is scheduled to take place shortly. The previous meeting scheduled for November 10 had to be postponed following the death of Mr M.V. Raghavan.