Palakkad: A blue trolley bag seen in CCTV footage of a local hotel has become the centre of discussion at the politically charged Palakkad, which will go to the polls on November 20.
While the Left Democratic Front (LDF) claims the suitcase held black money allegedly funnelled by the United Democratic Front (UDF) to influence voters, the Congress leaders mocked the Left’s suspicions, calling them far-fetched.
The Congress has maintained that the bag, containing clothes, belonged to Rahul Mamkootathil and that the candidate carried it to Kozhikode. However, LDF candidate P Sarin questioned why the UDF candidate needed a trolley bag of clothes for such a short visit. “Carrying extra clothes was part of a precautionary measure. Do I really need to justify my luggage to CPM leaders?” Mamkootathil retorted in an interview with Manorama News.
The UDF candidate also agreed to CPM State Secretary MV Govindan's demand to undergo a lie-detector test to settle the matter, adding, “I also invite AA Rahim and MB Rajesh to do the same.”
Meanwhile, BJP State President K Surendran suggested that the suspected black money was not seized because of an alleged police tip-off, which, he claimed, alerted those involved.
The raid and campaign tactics
The controversy erupted early Wednesday after police conducted a late-night search at the hotel, acting on suspicions that cash might be used to sway the by-election in Palakkad. Though no money was found, the incident has fuelled political fire on both sides. The UDF plans to turn the raid into a campaign advantage, instructing Mamkootathil to connect with voters directly and frame the raid as an organised political attack by the CPM. On the other hand, the CPM has vowed to tread carefully, leveraging the incident to highlight the UDF's alleged impropriety.
Now that police have determined no further investigation is needed, the UDF candidate will focus less on the controversy during his campaign. Instead, he and his team will prioritise meeting voters, discussing the party’s symbol, and addressing their local concerns. Party leaders will manage political rebuttals and clarify their stance on issues like the police’s decision to end further actions.
Meanwhile, there is a division within the CPM regarding the midnight police raid on Congress women leaders' rooms.
"This incident raises questions about whether a deliberate smokescreen was created to build a platform for accusing a CPM-BJP alliance. The police should investigate this. Is this the usual trick by certain elements to manipulate situations for temporary gain? The MLA (Shafi Paranbil), who has won the last three times, has used this tactic multiple times. We cannot rule out the possibility that incorrect information was provided by the UDF camp to stage this drama. If the information was false, was it an attempt to create an issue where none existed? This, too, needs investigation," Sarin said.
However, the CPM district secretary maintained the narrative that the Congress was hiding black money. "The BJP President has alleged that Rs 4 crore linked to the Kodakara hawala case was handed over to Shafi Parambil. That money might have been intended for use in the Palakkad election. We are aware that black money reached the hotel."
