"CBI and ED are not ready to question Kerala CM": Kerala Opposition Leader VD Satheesan alleges unholy nexus between CPI(M) and BJP

Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala) [India], March 18 : Congress leader & Kerala LoP VD Satheesan on Monday alleged that there is an unholy nexus between CPI(M) and BJP and CBI and ED is not questioning Kerala CM Vijayan of the SNC Lavalin case which was postponed for 38 times, adding that they had brought evidence to prove that.
"A few years back, opposition in Kerala had made an allegation that there is an unholy nexus between CPI(M) and BJP and we had brought evidence to prove that," said Satheesan.
Pointing at the cases pending against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, he said, "The case against Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan, is pending before the Supreme Court, 38 times it was postponed, CBI was not ready to appear before the court. In many cases, the CBI and ED are not ready to question Kerala CM...now the LDF convener stated that BJP will come up second place in many constituencies (in Kerala)."
In 2006, journalist TP Nandakumar filed a complaint with the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) against Vijayan, current Kerala Finance Minister TM Thomas Issac, and Communist Party of India (Marxist) polit bureau member MA Baby.
Vijayan was accused of allegedly hatching a criminal conspiracy while he was serving as the Electricity Minister of Kerala from May 1996 to October 1998.
Vijayan and other senior executives of the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) -- former Power Department secretary K Mohanachandran and former joint secretary A Francis -- were accused of allegedly awarding the contract for renovation and modernisation of a few hydroelectric projects to a Canada-based company SNC-Lavalin at exorbitant rates.
Satheesan further slammed, "Now the LDF convener stated that BJP will come at second place in many constituencies (in Kerala). We replied that wherever BJP will come second, LDF will come up in third position. LDF convener also said that there are good BJP candidates in Kerala..."
He further made an allegation saying that there exists a business contract between BJP leader Rajeev Chandrasekhar and the LDF convenor.
"I challenge Rajeev Chandrasekhar to prove that there is no connection existing," he added.
It is noteworthy that one of the most high-profile constituencies in this Lok Sabha election is Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala. Three-time MP from the constituency Shashi Tharoor of the Congress is up against Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar of the BJP and a strong left candidate in Pannyan Raveendran a former MP.
Kerala holds 20 Lok Sabha seats. The elections to all the 20 Lok Sabha seats in Kerala will be held on April 26. The 18th general elections to 543 seats in the country will be held in seven phases with the first phase beginning on April 19.
Kerala among 13 States will go for polls in the second phase on April 26. Counting of the votes will be held on June 4.