Kerala: BJP slams LDF, UDF over corruption ahead of NDA foot march

Kasaragod (Kerala), Jan 27 (PTI) The Kerala BJP on Saturday hit hard at the ruling LDF and opposition UDF alleging that not just Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's daughter's IT company but leaders of the both fronts had also accepted "illicit" money from a Kochi based minerals company.

Hours before launching the party-led NDA's statewide foot march in this district, BJP state chief K Surendran said if a thorough investigation is carried out, the "dirty face of corruption" of leaders of the rival fronts would be exposed.

Dragging the Congress-led UDF into the raging row involving the minerals' company, he said the grand old party cannot raise a voice against corruption in many cases as their leaders are also involved it it.

Attempts were being made (by the ruling CPI-M) to trivialise the issue regarding the transactions between the CM's daughter's IT Company and the minerals firm, Surendran further charged.

"We cannot trivialise the issue as an incident about a minerals company giving crores of rupees to the chief minister's daughter's IT firm....it has great dimensions. A relevant moral question is why a minerals company has given money to the officials and ministers of the state," he said.

A controversy erupted in Kerala recently over some financial transactions between the Kochi-based private minerals company and CM Vijayan's daughter Veena and her now defunct IT firm.

A section of the media also reported quoting documents that the company had dealings with top leaders of both the ruling CPI(M) as well as the opposition Congress-led UDF.

Apparently referring to this, the BJP leader alleged there was information that leaders of both fronts had accepted money from the Kochi-headquartered company.

"When it comes to corruption, both these fronts (LDF and UDF) are united. A comprehensive investigation will expose the corruption they have been carrying out in the state for ages," he said.

Surendran also said that the objective of the "NDA Kerala Padayatra", beginning this evening, is to expose corrupt practises and anti-people policies and garner public support to fight them.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi's guarantee is to ensure the security and well-being of 140 crore people in the country, he added.

As part of its groundwork for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Kerala is organising an extensive statewide foot march for a month from the Thalippadupu ground here this evening.

The primary objective of the campaign is to seek support from the people in a state where opposition parties hold sway before the Lok Sabha polls.

Led by Surendran, the foot march would pass through Lok Sabha constituencies in various districts before culminating in Palakkad on February 27. PTI