Communist Party of India (CPI) State executive committee member V. S. Sunil Kumar on Friday alleged that the Congress leadership in Thrissur has exposed corruption as its primary agenda even before formally assuming power in the Corporation.
He was inaugurating a protest organised by the CPI Thrissur Mandalam Committee, demanding a comprehensive investigation into the revelations made by Congress councillor Laly James regarding an alleged bribery deal for the mayoral post.
Mr. Sunil Kumar said that it was a “living example” of institutional corruption that a Congress councillor herself had come forward with allegations that the District Congress Committee (DCC) president demanded a bribe in exchange for the Mayor’s position.
According to him, the Congress leadership has little interest in the development or progress of Thrissur. “Their focus is on the corrupt money that can be amassed by gaining control of the Corporation. What has come out now is only a part of the preparatory work for that,” he said. He also pointed out that Ms. James has stated that she would reveal more details if action is taken against her, indicating that the disclosures so far may only be the tip of the iceberg.
Demands action
In this context, Mr. Sunil Kumar demanded a Vigilance inquiry into Ms. James’s allegations and insisted that strict action be taken against those found guilty if the accusations are proven.
Reiterating the charges, Communist Party of India (Marxist)’s [CPI(M)] district secretary K. V. Abdul Khader said Ms. James’s statement that DCC president Joseph Tajet personally summoned her and demanded money exposes the “distorted face” of the Congress. He noted that the allegations came from a councillor who had been elected in the recent polls, underlining the seriousness of the issue.
“This revelation shows how deep the moral degeneration of the Congress has become. It also suggests how frightening the scale of corruption in the Thrissur Corporation could be,” he said, adding that the councillor had alleged that the mayoral post was allotted after displaying a ‘cash box’ before party leaders.
Mr. Khader said the disclosures reveal only one aspect of what is happening within the Congress and warned that the impending corruption could be far more severe. He also questioned the silence of Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan and the KPCC leadership. “The Opposition leader is known for reacting to everything under the sun. Why is there complete silence on such a serious corruption allegations in Thrissur?” he asked, demanding a clear public response.
Published – December 26, 2025 08:53 pm IST
