CPM leaders told to pressurise Vijayan to face trial

KOTTAYAM: Kerala Congress(M) has asked the CPM national leadership to pressurise CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan to withdraw his petition in the Supreme Court against the Governor's sanction to prosecute him in the SNC-Lavalin case before criticising Prime Minister and UPA government in the 2G Spectrum scam case.

The UPA government and Prime Minister's office have initiated measures including resignation of Telecom Minister A Raja even before the preliminary report of Comptroller and Auditor General was tabled in Parliament, KC(M) vice-chairman P C George MLA and general secretary Joy Abraham told newsmen here.

An enquiry has been ordered and the demand for a joint parliamentary committee probe is also being looked into, they said.

They asked CPI(M) national secretary Prakash Karat and politbureau member Sitaram Yechuri whether they were aware that CAG had given final report in the Lavlin case in 2005.

Vijayan as state power minister during 1997-98 was instrumental in incurring a loss of Rs 375 crore to the exchequer by signing a controversial deal with the Canadian firm SNC-Lavalin Company.

They demanded to remove Vijayan from the Party secretary post pending the outcome of the trial in the Lavalin case.

Congratulating the UPA government for taking a stern action against Raja in the case, the same yardstick is applicable to Vijayan also, George said.