Kerala black money case: BJP should change party symbol to sack, says CPI(M)

Palakkad(Kerala), Nov 2 (PTI) The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala on Saturday took a dig at the BJP, which is in a tough situation following a former party functionary's revelations about the 2021 Kodakara black money case, by saying that it should "change its party symbol from lotus to a sack".

Kerala PWD Minister P A Mohamed Riyas also attacked the opposition Congress by accusing it of being silent on the lack of any action in the black money case by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).

"Many things have been made clear by the new revelations and one of them is that BJP should change its party symbol from lotus to a sack," the minister told reporters.

While the minister attempted to show there was an arrangement between the BJP and the Congress as the grand old party was silent on the lack of ED action in the case, Youth Congress state president Rahul Mamkootathil claimed that there was actually a deal between the saffron party and the CPI(M).

Mamkootathil, the UDF candidate in Palakkad assembly bypoll, said that the case was being highlighted by the CPI(M) now to show that it has no arrangement with the BJP.

He sought to know why the issue was being re-investigated now and what had happened to the initial probe.

"What happened to the earlier probe? Did it fail? If yes, why? A re-investigation now is an indication that earlier probe failed," he alleged.

The BJP, on the other hand, appeared to be unconcerned over the latest developments in the case.

BJP's Palakkad bypoll candidate C Krishnakumar said the revelations or the case were not a cause of concern for the party as all this hype surrounding it would end after the by-election on November 13.

He said that such tactics are expected during the election period.

Putting the BJP in a tough spot during the ongoing by-election campaign, its former Thrissur district office secretary Tirur Satheesh had recently alleged that the unaccounted money linked to the case was part of the party's election fund.

He had also claimed that the money, allegedly transported in six sacks by an individual named Dharmarajan, was brought to the party office under the guise of election materials, and he had guarded the office.

Following his allegations, BJP Thrissur district president Aneeshkumar had claimed that Satheesh, who was removed from his position as office secretary two years ago, has now been hired by the CPI(M) to campaign against the BJP and undermine its prospects in the upcoming by-elections.

The black money case relates to an incident of highway robbery at Kodakara in Thrissur on April 3, 2021, three days ahead of the Kerala Assembly polls that year.

A police investigation revealed that Rs 3.5 crore was allegedly being transported to Ernakulam in a car to fund the poll campaign.

A gang that followed this car looted the money after intercepting it by staging a fake accident near Kodakara, according to the police. PTI