Palakkad, March 28 – Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan firmly rejected allegations of a Rs 700 crore corruption scheme linked to the Cooperative Department’s proposed common software project on Saturday, dismissing Opposition charges as politically motivated and lacking factual basis.
He also dismissed claims of a secret deal between the CPI(M) and the SDPI, calling them "deliberate misinformation".
Responding to allegations raised by senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, the Chief Minister, speaking at a press conference in Palakkad, said his opponent was "spreading falsehoods" in the run-up to the elections.
“There is a clear attempt to create narratives of corruption by distorting facts. Responding to such claims only helps advance their agenda,” Vijayan said.
Clarifying the controversy over the cooperative software project, Vijayan stated that the tender process for implementing a unified digital platform for cooperative societies had been completed as early as 2021.
He noted that Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), which was initially part of the process, withdrew unilaterally in 2024.
“All procedures were carried out transparently and in accordance with norms,” he asserted, rejecting insinuations of irregularities.
On the political front, the Chief Minister dismissed allegations of an understanding between the Left Democratic Front (LDF) and the SDPI, alleging that the Opposition was attempting to put the ruling front on the defensive through baseless propaganda.
“People will reject such narratives. They will decide based on their lived experiences,” he said, expressing confidence of a decisive LDF victory in Palakkad, where the front’s candidate, he claimed, enjoys strong public support.
Vijayan also used the occasion to highlight the government’s development record, particularly in the agricultural sector.
He pointed to a steady increase in paddy procurement, enhanced financial assistance to farmers, and phased hikes in support prices.
“Kerala has witnessed significant agricultural growth between 2016 and 2026, with farmers’ incomes rising by nearly 50 per cent,” he said, countering the Opposition’s criticism with a focus on governance outcomes.
For the CPI-M, Palakkad is crucial this time, as there is dissent within the party with several local and former party legislators splitting up with the party.
P.K. Sasi is contesting as a Congress-backed candidate from Ottapalam, while A. Suresh, former personal assistant of V.S. Achuthanandan, is a Congress candidate from Malampuzha.
Similarly, a fierce battle has begun at Thrithala, where sitting State Local Self Government Minister M.B. Rajesh is pitted against former two-time legislator V.T. Balram.
At Palakkad, there is a glamour contest after the Congress fielded popular actor Ramesh Pisharody.
