Chennithala urges CPI(M) to halt ''smear campaign'' against Sonia Gandhi

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala on Friday accused the CPI(M) in Kerala of running a ''smear campaign'' against Sonia Gandhi, and urged the party to stop what he called ''baseless attacks''. In a statement here, the Congress Working Committee member said Sonia Gandhi had long been respected across political lines, including by senior CPI(M) figures in the past. He noted that former CPI(M) national leaders such as Harkishan Singh Surjeet and Sitaram Yechury had maintained cordial relations with her during key moments in national politics, including the formation of the first UPA government in 2004. Chennithala alleged that some Kerala CPI(M) leaders were now making unfounded claims against the former Congress president for political reasons. He said dragging her name into unrelated controversies like Sabarimala gold misappropriation showed ''political bankruptcy'' and was an attempt to divert attention from issues facing the CPI(M). The senior leader also claimed that concerns over such attacks had been raised within the CPI(M)'s national leadership, but were being ignored at the state level. ''Sonia Gandhi is respected beyond party lines,'' Chennithala said, warning that the Congress would strongly oppose any attempt to damage her reputation for political gain. His statement came after ministers M B Rajesh, V Sivankutty and Veena George alleged during the Assembly proceedings recently that the Congress and Sonia Gandhi were involved in the Sabarimala gold loss as the prime accused in the case, Unnikrishnan Potty, had visited her residence and taken photographs with her. Sivankutty had also demanded that Sonia Gandhi be arrested and interrogated, and her residence be raided to recover the lost gold. These allegations had prompted the party to urge Speaker A N Shamseer to expunge from the House record the ''derogatory'' remarks and allegations made against Sonia Gandhi.