Factions spar over scam at BJP meet in Thrissur
Fingers pointed at Kummanam's office staff who are allegedly steeped in corruption.
Thiruvananthapuram: The BJP state office-bearers meeting held in Thrissur on Monday was marred by charges and counter-charges between two factions over the medical college scam. While former state president P. K. Krishnadas demanded action against more leaders involved in the scam, the rival faction led by Mr V. Muraleedharan said that his loyalist state secretary V. V. Rajesh had been singled out in the scam and Yuva Morcha state general secretary Praful Krishna in the fund collection during the national council held at Kozhikode last year.
SC Morcha state president P. Sudheer and state spokesperson P. Raghunath, who belong to the Muraleedharan camp, demanded discussion on the scam. But pandemonium erupted when state president Kummanam Rajasekharan said that the priority was to finalise his padayatra from September 7 to 23.
As Mr Muraleedharan insisted on protocol in stripping off the leaders from organisational activities, Mr Kummanam took up the issue. He said the central leaders will take action against the guilty.
“In the case of Rajesh and Praful, norms were not followed which upset the Muraleedharan camp,” said a BJP leader.
He also alleged that Mr Kummanam’s office staffers were steeped in corruption and involved in the scam. Mr Kummanam remained tight-lipped and Mr Muraleedharan addressed the media later. This is for the second time Mr Kummanam evaded the media after the scam broke out.
Mr Kummanam’s yatra will be flagged off from Payyannur in Kannur on September 7 by national president Amit Shah. He will also attend the concluding meeting at Putharikandam grounds here on September 23.
Amit Shah will participate in the padayatra in Kannur on two days and in Thiruvananthapuram on a day. While Kummanam will hold a padayatra across Kannur district, in other districts, he will take out padayatra and vehicle rallies. Over a dozen BJP chief ministers and national leaders will tour the state against the political violence unleashed by the CPM.