THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As a political storm over the resignation of CPM MLA R Selvaraj and the alleged role played in it by government Chief Whip P C George with the approval of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and top UDF leaders is getting intensified in the run-up to the Piravom bypoll, pointers on parleys and telephonic contacts between the two sides are emerging.Selvaraj and George held telephonic talk in the days preceding the resignation, which buttresses the Opposition charges of horse- trading at the instance of the UDF.The latest revelations come after the move of Selvaraj to cut his own party to size as part of an apparent political and financial deal as well as suspicions based on the govt sanctioning Rs 19 crore for development works in the Neyyattinkara Assembly segment in the week preceding his resignation. On March 4 and 6, outgoing and incoming calls have been recorded twice from 94470-43027 belonging to George and 94472-26531 belonging to Reghu, personal assistant of Selvaraj. A single call had also gone out from the number of George to 94470-47362, Selvaraj’s own number. The CPM MLA resigned on March 9.The Opposition has been charging that Selvaraj had met Oommen Chandy in the presence of P C George in the wee hours of March 9 and that big money had changed hands as part of the deal. It was also alleged that Industries Minister P K Kunhalikutty and a few others were involved in the conspiracy. Selvaraj’s nephew had been reportedly given a plum posting in the industries department, though he was short of the requisite qualifications, it is alleged. Chandy had challenged the Opposition Leader to prove the charge of any deal and establish that Selvaraj had visited him on the day of quitting. The CM’s office had also brought out details of higher quantum of development funds sanctioned in recent weeks for Opposition MLAs, including in the Kollam segment of former minister P K Gurudasan and for Aroor, represented by A M Ariff (CPI). Undetered by the counter , Achuthanandan called for a judicial probe by a sitting judge.Meanwhile, George, in his characteristic vein, said that it was his privilege to call anyone, swallowing his earlier stance that he had not spoken to Selvaraj.Selvaraj was not available for comments.
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