Even though the CPI-M state secretariat gave a clean chit to LDF convener E P Jayarajan, who put the left party on the defensive on the Lok Sabha election day by publicly admitting that he met BJP’s Kerala Prabhari Prakash in the presence of controversial middleman T G Nandakumar, the uneasiness among CPI-M cadre over the controversy has spilled over onto social media.
Pro-CPI-M social media pages such as ‘Chuvappinte Porali’ and ‘Porali Shaji’ have come out against EP Jayarajan. One post by ‘Porali Shaji’ reads, “Even if a tree bears gold, it must be cut down if it leans onto the house. The issue isn’t solely about the acceptance of the BJP’s invitation; even the meeting itself should have been avoided. The gravest mistake lies in the decision to confirm the meeting on election day. Even while maintaining respect for the comrade, we must say you have caused ample headaches for the party. We must not forget this!”
In this connection, it must be noted that the row involving Dallal Nandakumar alias TG Nandakumar, which ultimately reached EP Jayarajan, was not originally initiated against him. The episode related to the present controversy started with Dallal Nandakumar raising bribery allegations against Anil Antony, son of Congress veteran AK Antony and BJP’s candidate in Pathanamthitta and BJP leader Sobha Surendran, who was the BJP candidate in Alappuzha.
Nandakumar alleged that Anil Antony took a bribe of Rs 25 lakh from him in 2013, after promising to appoint Nandakumar’s friend as the CBI Standing Counsel in the Kerala High Court.
Nandakumar said that the promise was not kept but Anil returned the money during the NDA government’s tenure. Nandakumar has raised the allegation against Anil Antony at a time when he was giving a fierce fight against his Congress and CPI-M rivals in Pathanamthitta. It is believed Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been giving much importance to him. Anil is the only leader from Kerala who has been accommodated in the BJP election manifesto drafting committee. Anil has alleged some leaders in the Congress are behind Nandakumar to raise allegations against him.
Then, Dallal Nandakumar fired a salvo at BJP’s firebrand leader Sobha Surendran, who is the BJP’s Alappuzha candidate, alleging that Sobha Surendran is refusing to pay him Rs 10 lakh taken from him. Responding to this, Sobha said that this amount was received as an advance for selling her 8-cent land in Thrissur to Nandakumar and she is ready to register it in his name on getting the balance amount in the deal. The amount will not be returned to Nandakumar as it was received as advance, she said.
It was at this point that Sobha Surendran made a serious revelation against CPI-M leader and LDF convener EP Jayarajan to counter the allegations raised against her by Nandakumat. Speaking to media persons in Alappuzha, Shobha Surendran revealed that EP Jayarajan held discussions with her and other party leaders on joining the BJP.
Negotiations regarding Jayarajan’s entry into the BJP had been almost completed, she said, and added that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is aware of why Jayarajan has withdrawn from his attempt to join the saffron party. Sobha also said the flight tickets for her journey were sent to her by Dallal Nandakumar. She also produced the copy of Kochi-Coimbatore and Coimbatore-Delhi flight tickets, said to have been sent by Nandakumar to her.
The day on which Dallal Nandakumar raised bribery allegations against Anil Antony, some Malayalam News channels broadcast the visuals of BJP leader Prakash Javadekar travelling with Dallal Nandakumar in a car. It is said that the footage was captured during a visit of Javadekar to Kerala. After seeing these visuals, some people reportedly asked’ why this BJP leader is travelling with a man who had raised allegations against the blue-eyed boy of PM Modi in the midst of a crucial election.
By raising bribery allegations against BJP’s Pathanamthitta candidate Anil Antony and the saffron party’s Alappuzha candidate Sobha Surendran, Dallal Nandakumar has intended to dent the images of both the BJP candidates. Sobha Surendran has a track record of lifting the BJP vote percentage wherever she contested, albeit losing the elections.
Earlier, Dallal Nandakumar had revealed that a “disgruntled woman leader of the Congress” had met Left Democratic Front (LDF) convenor EP Jayarajan during the campaign for the Thrikkakara Assembly bypoll and was keen to switch sides to the LDF, saying how there was little hope for people like her in the Congress. Nandakumar also claimed to have received from her proof of her voting for the Left candidate.
It may be noted that Dallal Nandakunmar dropped the ‘bribery bomb’ against Anil Antony and Sobha Surendran while they were making ripples in their respective constituencies. While the ‘bomb’ dropped at Anil Antony fell into his courtyard and burst there, the shrewd politician in Sobha Surendran redirected the ‘bomb’ that came to her towards LDF convener EP Jayarajan and it burst into his courtyard.
Anil Antony has alleged that Dallal Nandakumat has raised allegations against him without any proof at the behest of some Congress leaders to tarnish his image and thereby block his winning chance. However, Sobha Surendran didn’t say who worked behind Nandakumar to raise allegations against her. Political analysts say there may be a conspiracy behind these allegations. “Somebody might have played behind Nandakumar in raising the allegations against Anil Antony and Sobha Surendran. Those persons may be from the Congress, CPI-M or their own party,” a political analyst said.
Sobha Surendran, BJP’s political firebrand known for her crowd-stirring demagoguery, has a history of running into conflict with the BJP’s state leadership.