Kochi: The CPM has stepped in to attack Chief Minister V D Satheesan over the use of a chartered aircraft, with former minister and party's senior leader P Rajeev alleging that the government’s refusal to disclose who funded the journey raises serious questions under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Rajeev demanded that Satheesan disclose the sponsor of the aircraft and questioned why the details were being kept secret.

“What is the Chief Minister afraid of to reveal the name? If it is someone who does business honestly, why can’t he just say it?” Rajeev asked.

The remarks came amid the controversy over Satheesan’s chartered flight to Kozhikode. The Chief Minister’s Office has maintained that the journey involved no expenditure from the state exchequer and was arranged as the government’s helicopter contract had not been renewed.

However, Rajeev referred specifically to Satheesan’s earlier journey to Mangaluru and alleged that the aircraft had taken an unusual route from Bengaluru before picking up passengers and flying south to Thiruvananthapuram. He claimed media reports indicated that the aircraft belonged to a major corporate conglomerate and that the initial payment for the journey was made by a company whose helicopter lease contract with the state was awaiting renewal.

“A helicopter company’s lease contract with the state has expired, and its application for renewal is pending before the government. At that precise moment, the CM undertakes an undisclosed journey through an undisclosed source, and the initial payment is made by this company,” Rajeev alleged.

“If these media reports are accurate, wouldn’t this turn into an offence of corruption fully falling under Section 13(1) of the Prevention of Corruption Act? Isn’t it crystal clear with material evidence? Isn’t that where charges must be framed first?” he asked.

Rajeev contrasted the allegation with previous corruption allegations involving former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter’s business. He said those allegations were examined by the Vigilance Court, the High Court and the Supreme Court, while arguing that the present controversy involved what he described as direct material evidence.

Range Rover row
Rajeev also targeted Local Self-Government Department Minister K M Shaji over his use of a Range Rover owned by a private corporate entity and Satheesan defending him.

“A minister’s vehicle breaks down, and when he feels the heat, a private Range Rover pulls up in front of him, and he gets in! What is the standard protocol?” Rajeev asked.

He said ministers whose official vehicles break down should use police vehicles temporarily or obtain a rented vehicle through the Tourism Department.

Rajeev further alleged that the owner of the Range Rover was subsequently appointed to a government school committee.

“Misusing official power to accept such private benefits and repaying them with appointments directly attracts Section 13(1) of the PC Act,” he alleged.

He also questioned why safeguards intended to insulate ministers from corporate influence were being discarded.

‘Satheesan chief executor of BJP’s script’
Rajeev then widened his attack, accusing Satheesan of helping advance what he described as a BJP “master plan” to weaken the CPM and the Left in Kerala.

“Beyond politically weakening the CPM, the CM governing Kerala today is setting the stage for the BJP’s plan to capture Kerala,” Rajeev alleged.

He claimed the BJP could not come to power in Kerala without first weakening the Left’s political credibility and accused Satheesan of becoming the “chief executor of the BJP’s script”.

Rajeev also criticised the Congress leadership’s approach to Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigations, alleging a contradiction between the Congress-led INDIA bloc’s opposition to central agencies elsewhere and Satheesan’s alleged reliance on ED findings against the Left in Kerala.

“At the national level, the INDIA bloc is fighting tooth and nail against the ED’s political witch-hunts,” he said, referring to the agency’s actions involving opposition leaders in other states.

“Yet in Kerala, Satheesan acts as an active agent of the ED, showing more enthusiasm than even BJP state governments to dance to the agency’s tunes,” Rajeev alleged.

He also accused the Chief Minister of misrepresenting Supreme Court judgements, including the Waqf ruling, to suit the Sangh Parivar.

“Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi must clarify. Is V D Satheesan implementing the policy of the Indian National Congress, or is he executing the policy of the BJP?” Rajeev asked.

Rajeev also criticised Satheesan’s response to journalists, alleging that the CM was refusing to answer legitimate questions about the chartered flight and other controversies.