Kochi, March 28 A prominent leader from the Sangh Parivar, R V Babu, claimed on Saturday that UDF chairman V D Satheesan had met RSS leaders in 2001 and 2006 to seek their support in winning the state Assembly elections in those years. This allegation was denied by the Congress leader.
Satheesan stated that he had never sought votes from the RSS or the BJP and claimed that Babu, who resides in the Paravoor constituency from where the UDF leader is contesting, was against the Congress due to certain remarks made against him by the party.
Babu, the state president of the pro-RSS organization, Hindu Aikya Vedi, told a TV channel that the opposition leader had earlier denied attending an RSS event in 2006, but now he has admitted that he did.
"So, who is lying? Similarly, in the future, he will be forced to admit that he sought the help of the RSS in 2001 and 2006 to win the Assembly elections," Babu said.
He also said that the stance that the Congress has adopted now regarding the RSS was not the same in 2001 and 2006.
Babu claimed that Satheesan lost badly to CPI's P Raju in 1996 and subsequently sought the help of the RSS to win.
Babu also said that he wants Satheesan to be defeated. The Sangh Parivar leader further said that he sees both the UDF and LDF as two sides of the same coin.
Responding to reporters' queries on the matter, Satheesan said that the fact that Babu wants him to lose shows that there is no deal with the BJP or RSS.
He categorically denied the RSS leader's allegations that he sought the support of the right-wing organization in 2001 and 2006 to win in the elections.
Satheesan also reiterated his earlier claims of a link between the RSS and the CPI(M).
He also questioned whether the People's Democratic Party (PDP), which has declared its support for the CPI(M), was secular.
"When the CPI(M) can question the support given to us by the Welfare Party of India and the Jamaat-e-Islami, we can question them about the PDP," he told reporters here.
The opposition leader contended that the CPI(M) has a problem with the Welfare Party only because it is supporting the UDF.
While speaking to reporters, Satheesan also accused the CPI(M) of protecting its leaders who were accused in the Sabarimala gold misappropriation cases.
He also urged the central government to withdraw from its move to amend the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA), claiming it could affect the public charity and welfare activities carried out by various NGOs.
