more-in The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau Director (VACB) has ordered a probe into the graft charges levelled against State Bharatiya Janata Party leaders in connection with securing clearance for a private medical college. The order for probe was issued on the basis of a complaint filed by former Thiruvananthapuram Corporation councillor A.Sukarno. Mr.Sukarno is the Kovalam area committee member of the CPI(M). Superintendent of Police, Vigilance, Jayakumar would investigate the complaint. The BJP State unit is likely to get a rap on its knuckles from the Centre for leaving it in a chagrin over financial misappropriation charges that have stirred up a storm against the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government. The graft charges levelled against a section of prominent State BJP leaders have rocked the party’s claims of stupendously nurturing an unscathed and non-corrupt party and government apparatus during the past three years. National leaders who had been claiming of running a scam-free government have been left red-faced and the State leaders would have to pay a price for the embarrassment that the former had suffered. The most significant aspect of the scam is that the bribe has been taken from a businessman who maintains very warm relations with the Bharath Dharma Jana Sena, a prominent NDA ally in the State. The national leadership may opt for a thorough overhaul of the State unit, sometimes sparing State president Kummanam Rajasekharan alone, but even such drastic steps are not being considered as a panacea for reigning in the recalcitrant leaders. Smouldering issue Most importantly, the alleged inertia of the State leadership in initiating expeditious remedial action on the basis of the probe report would be subjected to scrutiny. The probe panel members would have to clarify on the leak of information from their report that has caused irreparable damage to the entire unit. The issue had been smouldering since BJP president Amit Shah visited the State as part of his national tour to gauge the preparations for the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. Mr. Shah and other leaders who rely on Intelligence on the functioning of the State party machinery from other sources were reported to have been aware of the graft charges and the raging schism stymieing the plans they mooted for expanding the party base. Some of the State leaders are also reported to have flagged the issue. The State leadership will have to explain the reason for delaying action on the report. Party sources told The Hindu that earlier there was a move to hush up the issue by taking action against second-rung leaders. Now, the issue has assumed a national dimension and hence warrants a very serious action. Meanwhile, the BJP has cancelled its core committee meeting scheduled for Friday and deferred its State committee meeting to Saturday.

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