The added the battle against graft has acquired has had the immediate effect of widening the rift in the beleaguered UDF.

The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau(VACB), headed by Director Jacob Thomas has gone into an overdrive by unleashing raids against former ministers K M Mani and K. Babu. Thomas has rebutted opposition criticism saying that he is only trying to implement the LDF Government’s acclaimed policy to eradicate corruption, a top priority item in the LDF’s election manifesto.

What must worry the Congress and other UDF leaders is the full acceptance and all-round welcome of the Government’s drive against corruption.

Expectedly, the Congress and other UDF leaders have condemned the ongoing vigilance raids, accusing the Government of vendetta politics. The raids smack of nothing but political witch-hunt, which is not acceptable, opined the UDF leaders. Although they are putting up a brave front, it is clear that the Government’s no-nonsense attitude towards the battle against corruption has unnerved the Congress leaders and other UDF leaders.

Reports have it that the raids against Mani and Babu are only the tip of the iceberg. There are indications that more raids are in the offing.

Among the ‘hit list’ are 20 prominent Congress and UDF leaders like Benny Behnan, a close aide of former chief minister Oommen Chandy, and former ministers Adoor Prakash, Ramesh Chennithala, AP Anil Kumar besides KC(J) leader Anoop Jacob and RSP leader and former minister Shibu Baby John and Indian Union Muslim League leaders M K Muneer, Abdur Rabb, Ibrahim Kunju and IUML strongman P K Kunhalikkutty.

Not surprisingly, the vigilance drive has raised anxiety levels in the Congress camp apart from giving a fresh lease of life to factionalism. The Congress is virtually divided over its response to the raids against former excise minister K Babu. While Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala have condemned the raids, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee(KPCC) president, V M Sudheeran has remained tight-lipped over the raids. Sudheeran’s silence has caused consternation among the Congress leaders belonging to both the A and I groups led by Chandy and Chennithala respectively. The KPCC president, it may be mentioned, had vehemently opposed giving tickets to K Babu and a few other Chandy loyalists to contest in the assembly elections on the ground that they are under a ‘corruption cloud’. The subsequent vigilance raids against Babu would seem to vindicate Sudheeran’s stance.

And, what is more significant, despite strong pressure from Congress and IUML leaders, Sudheeran has stubbornly refused to ‘rush to the rescue’ of beleaguered Babu. All that Sudheeran has said is he would respond only after the KPCC’s political affairs committee meeting scheduled to be held on September 24. This has not been to the liking of Chandy and Chennithala who have made no secret of their displeasure against Sudheeran’s silence. The cumulative effect has been the intensification of the factional fight within the Congress at a time when the party needs to close ranks and present a picture of unity. (IPA Service)