Thiruvananthapuram: NCP (Sharad Pawar) leader and Kuttanad MLA Thomas K Thomas has denied allegations that he offered Rs 50 crore each to LDF legislators Antony Raju and Kovoor Kunjumon to switch sides. Thomas allegedly made the offer to Antony Raju of Janathipathya Kerala Congress and Kovoor Kunjumon of the RSP-Leninist, both of whom are the sole representatives of their parties in the assembly. The offer was reportedly aimed at persuading them to join the NCP faction led by Ajith Pawar, a BJP ally.
“Thomas Chandy defeated Antony Raju's party twice in Kuttanad. Even I defeated the Kerala Congress candidate. Why did this allegation surface when I was about to become a minister?” Thomas K Thomas said. Meanwhile, NCP leader AK Saseendran said he did not believe Thomas made such an offer.
Reports suggest that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan declined to include Thomas in the state cabinet after receiving this information. The CM has formally reported the serious allegation to the CPM State Secretariat. During an inquiry, Antony Raju confirmed receiving the offer, while Kovoor Kunjumon said he could not recall such an incident.
Thomas MLA, however, has submitted a letter to the Chief Minister, strongly denying the accusations. He has also sent a letter to Sharad Pawar, stating, “I have no connection with Ajith Pawar, nor have I engaged in any such discussions. Who am I to offer Rs 50 crore to anyone? This is a scheme devised by Antony Raju for his party, Janathipathya Kerala Congress, which used to contest from the Kuttanad seat."
Antony Raju MLA commented, “The Chief Minister called me in, and I shared some shocking information with him. I can’t reveal more at this point.”
Kovoor Kunjumon, however, denied having any discussions with Thomas or receiving such an offer.
"There have been offers from the UDF. But I didn't go because I firmly believe in the Left. Had I joined the UDF, I would have received several positions, including a ministerial post and the Deputy Speaker role. I have lived my life in the movement that carries the red flag. No one should think they can bribe me with a few coins or scare me away with false promises. There needs to be a thorough investigation into this matter. This is a piece of news that has tarnished my public life. Neither I nor my movement received what we deserved. I am not the kind of person who runs after promises made by anyone. I have been in public life for 35 years without any blemish. The people here know that. We live in a time when society can tear apart an innocent person in moments. The government must conduct a comprehensive investigation into this matter, and I will approach the government for it," said Kunjumon.
While the alleged offer seems unlikely in Kerala’s political landscape, it is believed to be part of a larger strategy to attract NCP legislators in an effort to retain the party’s symbol and name following its split. In response, Pinarayi Vijayan rejected a demand from the NCP to induct Thomas into the state cabinet by replacing A.K. Saseendran. The refusal to reshuffle the cabinet reportedly left Thomas humiliated, with the CM hinting at the underlying reasons to the NCP leadership.