It was for JDU to decide whether to continue in UDF: CPM

PALAKKAD: In the backdrop of uneasy ties between UDF partners JDU and Congress, CPI-M, heading the opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala, today said it was for the JDU to decide whether to continue in the ruling front.

Addressing a press conference here, CPI-M State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said it was not due to any political differences that JDU left LDF in 2009. They had left due to issues over seat sharing for Parliament elections, he said.

Referring to the editorial in Congress mouthpiece critical of JDU, he said it was a warning to them.

"We will think about JDU if they leave UDF," he said to a question whether LDF would take back JDU into its fold.

It was for JDU to decide whether to continue in UD, he added.

JDU had recently expressed reservation over the attitude of Congress and had also stated that the party was not getting due consideration from UDF.

Denying any upper-handed behaviour by Congress, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had yesterday said issues raised by JDU President Veerendra Kumar were all political and they have been sorted out after discussions. The relationship with the JDU was cordial, he had said.

JDU moved out of LDF and became a partner in UDF during the 2009 Lok Sabha polls after differences with CPI-M over seat sharing.

On Kerala Congress(B) led by R Balakrishna Pillai, who severed tie with UDF recently, the CPI-M leader said KC-B had left UDF, but LDF had not thought about admitting it into the front. K B Ganeshkumar, son of Pilla, is the lone MLA of the party in the assembly.

However, it was Pillai who was coming out with allegations of corruption against the UDF government. "We cannot ignore the corruption charges of Pillai just becuase of he had been convicted in a corruption case," he said.

It was not easy for a party to get an entry into LDF as they were accepted in UDF, Balakrishnan added.

Alleging that government was attempting to sabotage the bar bribery scam, in which charges have been levelled against State Finance Minister K M Mani and Excise Minister K Babu, Balakrishnan asked government to give a free hand to the Vigilance and anti-corruption bureau to probe the case.

On Maoists activities, he said CPI-M had already made clear its stand. Maoists should become part of mainstream democratic institution, he said.

However, he said existence of exploitation was the main reason for the emergence of Maoists in the country.

Several persons were being taken into custody on charges of having links with the Maoists. Such kind of human rights violation was not correct, he said claiming it was CPI-M activists who become targets.