It seems that the Sabarimala temple gold looting scam implicating CPM political appointees in the Travancore Devaswom Board (TDB) had adversely affected the LDF in the recently concluded local body polls.
According to a police intelligence report, the controversy related to the Sabarimala temple gold looting has turned the voters away from the CPM. The report, which was prepared after inquiring into the reasons for the LDF defeat even in the CPM strongholds, has reportedly been handed over to the Director General of Police (DGP).
The CPM’s failure to take action against former TDB presidents, A Padma Kumar and N Vasu, who are on remand in the Sabarimala gold heist case, has created anti-left sentiments among the voters, says the report. This has led to the defeat of LDF even in CPM strongholds, the report says.
The report also says that the CPM was able to win public support by holding statewide protests against dismissed Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, who is accused in two sexual assault cases. However, the government’s action in honouring singer Vetan, who is an accused in a similar sexual assault case, did not sit well with the public. This double standard of the government and the CPM invited harsh criticism from the people.
It is said the issues such as the suicide of former Kannur ADM Naveen Babu, the controversy related to former Kannur district panchayat president PP Divya, and the criticism against the activities of former Thiruvananthapuram mayor Arya Rajendran were reflected in the results of the poll.