BJP Kerala unit today said the graft allegations against its functionary, who was expelled over the issue of MCI nod to a private medical college, was a financial fraud by an individual, and the party and the Centre had nothing to do with it.
"The opponents could not raise any corruption charge against the Narendra Modi-led BJP government and out of dismay, they are trying to exaggerate this isolated incident," BJP state President Kumanam Rajasekharan said in a letter to party workers.
In his first detailed statement on the graft charge, he also said a false propaganda was on to tarnish the image of the party and asked the workers to be vigilant and not to fall prey to such designs.
He said though some "weeds" had tried to grow under the shade of the party, they had been "uprooted" when it came to the notice of the leadership.
"I assure you that if there is anymore parasite in the party, they will also be eradicated," Rajasekharan, who is now undergoing treatment at a hospital for viral fever, said.
He was referring to the expulsion of Cooperative Cell convener R S Vinod on July 20 following charges that he had taken a bribe of Rs 5.60 crore to get Medical Council of India approval for a private medical college.
As the state party unit came under a cloud, Vinod was expelled from the party's primary membership, hours after the contents of an internal report on the matter had surfaced in a section of media.
The Kerala Vigilance Director had also ordered a probe into the corruption allegation on the same day.
Maintaining that it was not a corruption case but a financial fraud committed by an individual, Rajasekharan said the BJP and the union government had nothing to do with it.
Nobody had received any undue gain from the Centre through the person, facing allegations, he said adding Vinod had misused the name of the party for his personal gains.
By expelling the wrongdoer, the party could "uphold its anti-corruption image," he claimed in the letter.
"We should be vigilant against those who unleash false propaganda that everyone in the Kerala BJP is corrupt and cheat in the wake of this isolated incident," he said.
The BJP state president also came down heavily on the Congress-led UDF opposition and CPI(M)-led ruling LDF for attacking BJP over the issue.
He listed out the corruption cases in which various leaders of both the rival fronts were allegedly involved.
Meanwhile, UDF today decided to hold a Rajbhavan march to protest against the alleged corruption over the MCI approval on July 31.
(This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)