Kannur: Amids the spectacular revelations on the Karuvannur Cooperative Bank scam, two constituents of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) have joined hands with their political opponent, CPM, to 'save the cooperative sector' in Kannur.

The CPM has found unlikely comrades in UDF constituents, IUML (Indian Union Muslim League) and CMP (Communist Marxist Party), with whom the ruling will launch the 'Sahakarana Samrakshana Sadas', a public meeting organised by Primary Agricultural Credit Cooperative Socities Association against the Central government's alleged move to tarnish Kerala's cooperative sector.

Kerala's Minister for Cooperation VN Vasavan will inaugurate the meeting at the stadium corner in Kannur at 5 pm on Tuesday. Kadannappally Ramachandran MLA will preside over the function.

Alongside CPM district secretary M V Jayarajan and CPI's A Pradeesh, IUML district president Abdul Kareem Cheleri and C A Ajeer of CMP will attend the meeting.

CPM event?
Even though it is not a party programme, the CPM district leadership has used the opportunity to reiterate its opposition to the Centre's move against the cooperative sector. The CPM has been accusing the Centre since the Directorate of Enforcement (ED) probe into the Karuvannur scam.

The Congress does not endorse IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty's view that the ED invetsigation would weaken the state's cooperative sector. “It is unacceptable that the entire cooperative sector is affected by the invetsigation of the Central agency... my party decided to participate in the event to save the sector,” Kunhalikutty made his stand clear.

Meanwhile, though KPCC (Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee) member Munderi Gangadharan was invited to the event, he withdrew quite late after the party leadership intervened. “My party leadership instructed me not to attend the event because of chances of misinterpretation of my presence. We don't want to fall into CPM's trap,” Gangadharan said.