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Special Report
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TSI
Communism compromised!
But now the picture has reversed, and now we could say, perhaps, “A spectre is haunting Indian communists – the spectre of CBI, of shameful
avarice and brazen chutzpah being exposed.” TSI’s Rajasekhara Panicker opens the bag of scandals.
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 The CBI has also alleged that Pinarayi, Mohanachandran and Francis fraudulently suppressed certain relevant facts such as signing of supply contract on February 10, 1997, recommendation of KSEB secretary Viswamony for pari passu grant to MCC, with the implementation of the renovation project, report of NHPC and E. Balanandan Committee recommendation. Pinarayi had taken “extra undue interest” in the deal and even met and prevailed upon State Bank of India General Manager regarding a deferred payment guarantee (DPG).
He had also insisted that MCC be under his department, and thereby under his control. Pinarayi had contact with SNC Lavalin officials and “misused his official position” to exert pressure on KSEB staff and thereby favoured SNC Lavalin’s representative in their official dealing with the KSEB.
Investigation revealed that the supply contract was awarded to SNC Lavalin at an exorbitant rate, and the per-megawatt cost became the highest – Rs 3.96 crore! Though the award amount was Rs 243.98 crore the KSEB expended Rs 374.5 crore. And there was no increase in power generation even after the renovation, the CBI has said.
The CBI revelations have badly shaken the already faction-riddled party at the state level, but uncannily, the politburo at Delhi issued the official line that it was actually a witch-hunt kick-started by the previous Congress regime government. “If at all any conspiracy was hatched it was by the then UDF Chief Minister AK Antony and his Power Minister G Karthikeyan. They signed the MoU with Lavalin,’’ state Finance Minister Thomas Isaac said. Though the politburo has toed the state party stand, the strong opposition by VS has put the central leadership in a fix.
Now the party will use the planned Vijayan-led Nava Kerala Yatra - all-Kerala road show - from February 2 to 26 to tom-tom the innocence of its state secretary. `”Steps taken by the CBI to prosecute Vijayan in the SNC-Lavalin case is politically motivated,” the party said in a statement after the state secretariat committee meet. But VS was conspicuously absent. Speaking at the Kerala Secretariat Employees, Vijayan warned that any move to confuse the people by initiating fake cases against communist leaders would not bear desired results.
But it seems from the grim scenario that the people are in no mood to toe Karat’s line and vote back the Reds in any substantial numbers.
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TSI
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