VS volte-face, attends Pinarayi rally or.... Was it?

Chief minister V S Achuthanandan surprised everyone by attending the closing ceremony of the `Nava Kerala Yatra' led by his rival and party state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan.

But if anyone thought the issue was resolved, there was a dampener.  Both VS and Pinnarai Vijayan took potshots at eachother in their speeches .

VS said in his speech:

"The general secretary said how we will fight allegations against the state secretary in the case - politically and legally. It will be fought legally and when he gets an opportunity to prove his innocence in court, it will be done,'' 

VS also added that the way out was not by fighting the judiciary. If that was not enough, he also referred to corruption charges faced by leaders of the Congress-led UDF like K Karunakaran and Balakrishna Pillai.

Pinarayi, who spoke before the CM also fired innuendos at him. Referring to the story of a boy who wondered why there were no waves in a bucket of water drawn from the sea, Pinarayi said everyone in CPM realises that they had no existence without the party.

Source

Pinarayi Vijayan is guilty

The CBI report submitted to the Kerala High Court and seen by HT has provided specific instances of Vijayan’s complete involvement, something which his party bosses have denied so far.

The detailed  CBI report says

“Though the total contract amount for renovation and modernisation of Pallivasal, Sengulam and Panniar hydroelectric projects was Rs 243 crore, a total amount of Rs 333 crore was spent,”

It also says that a committee headed by senior CPM leader E. Balanandan had submitted a report to Vijayan in 1997. Balanandan’s report was based on the recommendations of experts. It estimated the total cost of repair and modernisation as just Rs 100 crore. CBI report says

“Without considering the recommendations of the Balandan committee, supply contracts were signed with SNC Lavalin immediately. Even a naïve or unsophisticated person will not believe the offer of Rs 100 crore of grant-in-aid for a project initially estimated at Rs 159 crore. Obviously, Lavalin wanted to bag the contract at an exorbitant rate and accused officials along with the minister wanted the cancer centre,”

Pinarayi visited Canada in 1996, shortly after taking over as the power minister and finalised the contract in the absence of then Chief Minister E.K. Nayanar, the agency alleged. 

Source