Kerala Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan stated that the state government has not yet received any formal complaint regarding the alleged misappropriation of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) election funds. He mentioned that any future actions would depend on the filing of an official complaint. The Chief Minister’s comments come amidst a political storm over financial irregularities in the Kerala BJP’s campaign expenditure.
The controversy escalated with the release of audio recordings suggesting payments to party officials for campaign materials. A recent audio clip indicated an early payment of Rs 31 lakh to a BJP leader before the full settlement for flags and banners. Despite efforts to recover the remaining Rs 4.65 lakh, there has been no response from the concerned parties.
Additional allegations include the diversion and sale of campaign materials provided by the BJP’s Central leadership, as well as the awarding of contracts to favored firms at inflated rates. There are also claims of bulk room bookings at a luxury hotel in Thiruvananthapuram during the election campaign using party funds. The dissent within the Kerala BJP has criticized the state leadership for allegedly trying to suppress the issue despite widespread financial irregularities reported across various districts.
The state BJP leadership is expected to address these allegations soon.
