The LDF is trying to exploit the revelation against the BJP leadership in the Kodakara hawala case

The Left Democratic Front (LDF) government on Friday scrambled to politically exploit the damning “reveal” by an expelled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader that the ₹6 crore of “black money” stolen from a car at Kodakara in Thrissur on the run. – until the 2021 Assembly elections was part of a significant tranche of secret election funds for the BJP.

The controversial ‘unmasking’ of former Thrissur BJP office secretary Tirur Satheesh has sparked a demand for a comprehensive fresh probe from the opposition.

It also appeared to help the BJP ahead of the critical by-elections in the Palakkad and Chelakkara Assembly constituencies and the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan asked the state police to explore legal options for a fresh probe.

The Government and the Opposition accused the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Income Tax (IT) Department of “misusing the police report which flagged a clear case of money laundering”. The government has decided to flag the alleged laxity of the ED and IT department in pursuing the black money case with the Union finance department.

Thursday, Mr. Satheesh stirred the pot by claiming that Karnataka’s “black money” was being maintained for BJP’s electoral purposes. He claimed to have protected the cash bags at the BJP’s Thrissur office, allegedly in the presence of state party president K. Surendran. A few days later, in a classic mob-style ambush operation, anonymous individuals stole the money while being transported in a car. State police have arrested 22 people in connection with the theft, but have reportedly found little evidence to conclusively link the money to the BJP leadership. Mr. Satheesh said he did not tell the police about the BJP’s alleged link with black money at the party leadership’s court.

Opp. load

The ex-BJP worker’s revelation prompted Leader of the Opposition VD Satheesan to cite the police clean-up against the BJP as another telling example of Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) collusion with the Sangh Parivar-led Union. Govt to save the opposing parties externally from the botched criminal investigations of the state and central law enforcement agencies.

CPI(M) state secretary MV Govindan demanded a comprehensive probe into the cash theft following the revelation.

“Electoral Propaganda”

Mr. Surendran called the controversy a short-lived partisan election propaganda by the Congress and the CPI(M) to disadvantage the BJP.