Former CPM MLA S Rajendran on Sunday demanded that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) probe the assets of CPM leaders in Munnar, alleging large-scale accumulation of wealth.

Rajendran, who recently joined the BJP, was speaking at a reception in Munnar for leaders who had switched to the party. The meeting was inaugurated by BJP state president Rajeev Chandrasekhar.

Rajendran alleged that several CPM leaders in Munnar had amassed wealth through multiple means. He claimed that CPM leader KV Sasi and others were using vehicles purchased with money meant for plantation workers. He further alleged that the CPM, a party he served for decades, had lost trust in him over the past five years, sidelining him and obstructing welfare initiatives intended for the public.

Refuting suggestions that his political shift was motivated by personal gain, Rajendran said he had consistently worked for the welfare of plantation workers during his tenure as an MLA and ensured several benefits for them. He added that despite over four decades in public life, he had not accumulated any wealth and was willing to face a social audit.

In his inaugural address, Rajeev Chandrasekhar urged voters to ensure the victory of the NDA candidate in the upcoming Assembly elections to realise the goal of a "developed Munnar." He said that only the NDA could address long-pending basic issues, such as housing and drinking water, faced by the people of Munnar for decades.

Earlier, BJP workers took out a rally from Chattamunnar to the Munnar Panchayat ground, in which a large number of party workers participated. Former Devikulam MLA S Rajendran and GK Gurunathan, who joined the BJP recently, were accorded a reception at the meeting. Several state and district leaders attended the event.