The timing of the allegations against the Speaker is significant. The allegations made by BJP State president K Surendran and Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala came on the first day of polling in the local body elections. The intention clearly, was to influence the voting pattern.

Surendran fired the first salvo against the Speaker claiming that he was providing assistance to the accused in the gold smuggling case. The gravamen of Surendran’s charge was that the Speaker and a few ministers provided assistance for gold smuggling. The foreign trips of the Speaker are shrouded in mystery as he had close links with the persons arrested in the case. It is shocking that the LDF leaders misused their posts to help smugglers and thereby aligned the Constitution, he alleged, adding that the Chief Minister’s Office and the CM himself are the biggest beneficiaries in the gold smuggling.

Significantly, CPI-M State secretary in charge A Vijayaraghavan is the only party leader so far, to defend Sreeramakrishnan. It is nothing but an attempt to defame the Speaker he said.

On his part, Chennithala raised serious allegations against the Speaker. The LOP said there was corruption and extravagance in the running of the Assembly. Since the allegations are of a serious nature, Chennithala said he would petition the State Governor seeking an investigation against Sreeramakrishnan.

Chennithala saw corruption in the renovation of the Assembly Hall, in the appointment of consultancy for Assembly TV and celebration of the Festival of Democracy, among others. These issues never came up before any Assembly Committee, he added.

The beleaguered Speaker on Thursday called a press conference to defend himself He denied having any nexus with Swapna Suresh, an accused in the gold smuggling case. “I have not given her any favour or travelled with her on foreign trips. We never met during the overseas jaunts,” the Speaker said.

The Speaker denied the other charges, too. The Assembly renovation activities were all supervised by an Assembly Committee that included Opposition members also, Sreeramakrishnan averred. In conclusion, the Speaker said he was ready to face any investigation, and would hand over any documents the agency may seek from him.

The last word on the issue has not been said as Chennithala has hinted at coming out with more ‘facts’ on the ‘controversy’.

The opening of a front against the Speaker by the Opposition has, no doubt, sent an already embattled Government into a tizzy. It also remains to be seen whether all these developments would have any impact on the prospects of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the local body election results.

Meanwhile, C M Raveendran, the Chief Minister’s additional private secretary, has sought two weeks’ time to appear before the Enforcement Directorate on grounds of ill health. Raveendran is in hospital for treatment of post-covid illnesses. This is the third time he is skipping the ED’s summons. (IPA Service)