Flex war: BJP members destroy LDF boards at TVM corporation

Thiruvananthapuram: The LDF and BJP are locked in a 'flex war' in front of the city corporation headquarters here over illegal flex boards.

Incidentally, the corporation is responsible for acting against illegal boards. The LDF had put up flex boards alleging financial irregularities against BJP councillors G.S. Ashanath of Pappanamcode and P.V. Manju of Punnackamugal. The boards have photographs of the accused councillors. 

Yesterday, the BJP members destroyed the boards put up by the LDF parliamentary party. The LDF leadership, however, said the boards would be put up again. The BJP responded, saying it would also erect boards accusing the ruling front of corruption in recruitment, and siphoning off funds meant for scheduled castes.

Ashanath made a Facebook post, saying an individual in the Pappanamcode ward had taken money from beneficiaries for distributing forms for various schemes providing financial support. These forms are provided free of cost by the corporation. The LDF's allegation against Ashanath was based on this Facebook post. 

Besides Ashanath's photograph, the LDF's flex board also included a screenshot of the Facebook post.

Councillor P.V. Manju has been accused of diverting Rs 3 lakh from the bank accounts of Haritha Karma Sena members. Separate boards, saying that the CPI(M) would start a protest against these irregularities, were also put up before the corporation office. The BJP councillors destroyed these boards around noon yesterday.

The BJP leadership has now warned the LDF that they would file a contempt of court case and erect a board, with the corporation's permission, detailing the corruption of the administration, if the LDF goes ahead with its plan to put up the boards again.

The accusations against the LDF include the recruitment scam, diversion of funds meant for scheduled castes, corruption in the name of Attukal pongala and the irregularities in the recruitment of sanitary workers.

Meanwhile, an internal investigation found that the Haritha Karma Sena members at Punnackamugal had illegally received ₹1.59 lakh. The amount was not credited to their bank accounts. The probe also revealed that eight of the 13 Haritha Karma Sena members had taken money for personal needs.

The members returned the money based on a directive by the Corporation's clean city manager the other day.