The war of words over the SNC Lavalin case is continuing in the political landscape of Kerala with the two prominent political leaders in the state out in the streets as part of their state wide yatras.
CPI-M state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan who is the accused number 9 in the SNC Lavalin case is on a yatra from Kasargod in the North to Thiruvananthapuram the state capital while the state Congress president Ramesh Chennithala is also on a yatra in the same route.
The recent statement of the former minister for electricity and CPI-M leader S Sharma that certain dilutions were made in the SNC Lavalin contract has been accepted with glee by the Congress camp which has been on the defensive ever since the CPI-M leaders have gone on blistering attack against the Congress leader Kadavoor Sivadasan who was the power minister in the Antony cabinet.
Incidentally, the SNC Lavalin company has also on its website supported the stand taken by Pinarayi Vijayan which led to the opposition claiming that Kerala has been witnessing a strange scenario in which the accused themselves giving judgments in the case in which they are charged.
Sharma, who is widely believed as a supporter of Chief Minister Achuthanandan , has directed the ball towards the court of the official faction in the CPI-M which is out and out supporting the beleagured leader.
Vijayan has to admit to the press that he does not know what Sharma had meant while making such a statement on SNC Lavalin and this is seen by political pundits as an open acknowldgement from the all powerful state secretary that there are diverse views in the party which is not a good sign in a political party like the CPI-M.
CMP leader M.V.Raghavan who was once a firebrand leader of the CPI-M and who was expelled from the party has called upon Achuthanandan to come out of the CPI-M and to join the democratic forces.
Sources in the party, however, indicated that the chief minister is waiting for the Lok Sabha elections to get over and to take a right decision.
