There are politicians in the state who are breaking into cold sweat. For them, VS's coming to power is not just a political defeat.
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala's chief-minister-in-waiting VS Achuthanandan got a rousing welcome at the Thiruvananthapuram airport on Sunday, as he returned from New Delhi.
The 82-year-old veteran communist was in the capital where the party politburo cleared his name to head the new government in Kerala. But not all are happy with him coming to power.
There are, in fact, quite a few politicians in the state who are breaking into cold sweat. For them, VS's coming to power is not just a political defeat. Many of them may find old cases reopened or revived, if VS leads the LDF government.
Indian Union Muslim League general secretary PK Kunhalikutty, who became the first party candidate to lose in Kuttipuram since 1957, has more reasons to worry. His alleged involvement in a sex racket was a major issue in the assembly elections.
Though all accused in the ice cream parlour sex scandal were acquitted by Kozhikode additional sessions court in January, it had already cost Kunhalikutty his berth in the UDF ministry. Kunhalikutty was not an accused, but his name is in the chargesheet prepared by the assistant additional sessions court.
The legal course of the scandal was punctuated by conflicting statements by prime witness Rejina, who retracted her revelation that the minister had molested her. The police, however, gave Kunhalikkutty a clean chit. Local leaders of the communist parties were also accused in the case.
With VS at the helm, Kuhalikutty may see the revival of a few cases. VS has already hinted that the LDF will pursue these cases.
A revision petition filed by women's rights activist K Ajitha, the original complainant, and a petition by the special prosecutor seeking examination of the 16 witnesses who turned hostile en masse are pending before the High Court and a lower court respectively.
VS himself had approached the court seeking a CBI probe into the backtracking of witnesses. He has been highlighting the pervading sex racket throughout his election campaign.
Former chief minister K Karunakaran, who is yet to recover from his suicidal divorce with the Congress, is next on VS's hit list. VS has made it clear that the next government will not withdraw a corruption case against Karunakaran.
VS raked up the case in the assembly when Karunakaran was the chief minister in 1991. Karunakaran allegedly caused the state exchequer a loss of Rs 2.32 crore by importing 15,000 tonnes of palm oil from Malaysia. The case will come up before a trial court on July 18.
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