Kochi/Changanassery: As part of a well-planned conspiracy to sabotage the people’s mandate the Left Democratic Front is widely distributing a chemical that could facilitate the easy erasing of the indelible ink mark applied on the fingers of voters, Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala claimed.
(The application of an indelible ink or dye to the forefinger of voters during elections is done to prevent electoral fraud such as double voting.)
The voters’ lists in several constituencies have multiple entries of the same person. Members of employees’ organizations owing allegiance to the Left were behind the irregularities, Chennithala alleged.
“LDF for sure means bogus voting is certain,” Chennithala took a dig at the Left’s poll slogan, while referring to the irregularities found in the electoral rolls.
“Not one bogus voter will be allowed to vote,” he added.
The Opposition Leader said he had lodged a complaint of bogus voters with the Election Commission, and UDF MPs would follow suit. UDF is confident of a win in 110 constituencies if the election is fair, he said.
LDF is pumping in funds to sabotage the polls. The Council of Ministers is corrupt. If LDF returns to power, they will put Kerala up for sale, Chennithala said, adding that the money being pumped in might have been raised through corruption.
The Congress leader said the opposition scrutinised the voters’ list as it suspected irregularities in the local-body polls.
On deep-sea trawling deal
Referring to an allegation of the involvement of his office in the deep-sea trawling contract, Chennithala challenged the Chief Minister to order a judicial probe. He was speaking at a ‘Meet the Press’ programme.
The chief minister’s words do not carry weight. The chief minister who initially denied any deal with US firm EMCC on deep-sea trawling, later tried to escape by holding the officials responsible. It has now become clear that the Chief Minister and his office had advance information about the contract.
The chief minister is trying to browbeat the opposition for its pro-NSS stand on Sabarimala. Pinarayi, like Modi at the Centre, is trying to silence the critics.
The judicial probe announced against the Enforcement Directorate is a joke and no one has taken it seriously, Chennithala said.
