Cong slams Vijayan for ordering probe against Satheesan

Thiruvananthapuram, June 10 (IANS) Top Congress leaders in Kerala have slammed the "vindictive attitude" of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for ordering a probe by the Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau against Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan, based on a complaint that he collected money from abroad soon after the 2018 floods to build homes for the poor in his constituency.

Kerala unit Indian National Congress president K. Sudhakaran said he haunted one of Kerala's most popular Chief Ministers, Oommen Chandy, and "now he is doing that against Satheesan".

"This shows the vengeance of Vijayan, as he knows there are quite a few cases haunting him and Satheesan is strongly taking him on in these cases and to extract his pound of flesh, just as he did to Chandy, he is trying to do on Satheesan. The people of Kerala know what is happening," warned Sudhakaran.

What has raised eyebrows was this order was given hours before Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan left for a visit to the US and Cuba, and it surfaced on Friday.

Former Leader of Opposition and veteran Congress legislator Ramesh Chennithala said "this is the way Vijayan tries to settle scores with his political adversaries".

"I was charged in five Vigilance cases and all of them have been disposed of. Now, since Satheesan is vehemently bringing out the wrong deeds of Vijayan, he is being targeted, but all we have to say to him is 'don't try to threaten us by such cases'," said Chennithala.

Satheesan told the media that Vijayan is doing what Prime Minister Narendra Modi does, "like what he did to Congress leader Rahul Gandhi".

"I have said earlier this case had surfaced before and on all three occasions, including, the Kerala High Court had cleared him. Now again, this has been raised to counter the wrong doings of Vijayan that has been exposed. I am very sure when the Vigilance completes its probe they will come out with their report the way I handled the funds for rehabilitation is the right model that could be replicated," said Satheesan.

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