Former aide accuses Congress MP of plotting murder

In an embarrassment to Congress Lok Sabha member from Kannur K Sudharakaran, a former aide of his on Saturday alleged that the Member of Parliament was involved in a "conspiracy" to murder Communist Party of India - Marxist leader E P Jayarajan in early 1990s.

Sudhakaran refuted the allegation and dubbed it as "absurd". But CPI-M leaders immediately seized on the issue and demanded an investigation based on the "revelation" of the Congress MP's former driver Prasanth Babu.

Babu, a former block president of the Congress, who fell out with Sudhakaran some time back, on Saturday told television channels that he was present at Sudhakaran's house when they "plotted" an attack on the CPI-M leader.

Reacting to the allegation, Sudhakaran said Babu was instigated by CPI-M leaders, who were in search of issues as the party was on the backfoot over the Chandrasekharan murder case.

"There is a CPI-M conspiracy behind this allegation. Babu had worked as my driver only for a month as a temporary arrangement. This allegation has been levelled on past occasions too. Now the CPI-M is trying to revive it as the party is in crisis," he said.

Jayarajan, CPI-M central committee member and sitting Member of Legislative Assembly from Mattannur in Kannur district, wanted the police to accord personal security to Babu as there could be an attempt on his life in view of his "shocking revelation."

Talking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram, CPI-M state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan asked the police to register a case against Sudhakaran and order an investigation based on Babu's charges.

Since Sudhakaran is a Member of Parliament, the central leadership of the Congress should also make its stand clear on the allegation, Vijayan said.