THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress ‘A’ group leaders have condemned the Vigilance raid saying the LDF government was harassing the former minister. However, the ‘I’ group leaders kept mum on the development. Former chief minister Oommen Chandy and Congress vice-president M.M. Hassan said that Mr Babu had done nothing illegal. “We are ready to face any inquiry against Babu. This is nothing but political vendetta by the Left government,” said Chandy in a statement here. Congress sources said that Mr Chandy had warned Mr Babu of a Vigilance raid at Thripunnithura. But Mr Babu had replied that he will deal with the issue.
A prominent ‘A’ group leader rubbished VACB director Jacob Thomas’s allegation that Mr Babu had amassed huge wealth while he was minister. “Apart from '1.50 lakh kept for domestic needs, the Vigilance did not get anything and the allegations raised by the V&ACB are baseless. Jacob Thomas is taking revenge against Babu because as port minister, he had acted against the wishes of Jacob Thomas when he was Cochin Port Trust chairman,” said a former Congress MLA.
‘A’ group leaders feel that the allegations will not stand against Mr Babu as his son-in-law’s family are doing business and can afford to buy any property in the town. KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran also did not comment on the raid. It may be recalled that Mr Sudheeran had stood against Mr Babu’s candidature in Thripunnithura in the Assembly elections, though Mr Chandy supported him. Eventually, he was defeated by DYFI state secretary M. Swaraj.
