Row over 'Thrissur Pooram' fireworks refuses to die down

Thiruvananthapuran: The political row in Kerala over the disruption caused to this year's Thrissur Pooram festival refuses to die down as Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan further triggered a row by justifying that not much disruption was caused to the Pooram.

The Chief Minister's statement, which came even as the investigations ordered by the government into the alleged bid to sabotage the temple festival in pending, had not gone down well even with CPM's coalition partner CPI.

Row over disruption of the fireworks of Thrissur Pooram owing to excess police regulations just ahead of the Lok Sabha elections was considered to have helped BJP win at Thrissur with Hindu vote consolidation. CPI candidate V S Sunilkumar had then lost to union minister of state for petroleum Suresh Gopi. Hence, CPI is more worried over the Pooram row. CPI recently insisted on action against ADGP M R Ajithkumar who faces allegations of being part of a conspiracy to sabotage Thrissur Pooram by holding talks with RSS-BJP leaders.

The Chief Minister said on Saturday that there was not much disruption in Thrissur Pooram except that the firework display was a little bit delayed.

CPI leaders countered the Chief Minister's statement. Kerala revenue minister K Rajan said that there was no change in CPI's stand on Thrissur Pooram and the party was awaiting inquiry reports.

Opposition Congress alleged that the Chief Minister's open statement was aimed at sabotaging the ongoing investigations into the conspiracies to sabotage the festival. Leader of opposition V D Satheesan said that Vijayan was trying to please the RSS-BJP by sabotaging the probe into the Thrissur Pooram conspiracy.