UDF alleges corruption in state govt’s nod for FMFL sale, LDF calls charges ‘baseless’

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The opposition Congress Monday raised fresh corruption allegations over the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s decision to allow sale of Foreign-Made Foreign Liquor (FMFL) in the state, even as the latter rubbished the charges as “baseless”.

This comes over two months after the United Democratic Front (UDF)had levelled corruption of crores of rupees in allocation of new breweries and distillery, following which the government cancelled the nod for it.

Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and senior Congress leader Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan told reporters here that sanction for the sale of FMFL was not part of the LDF government’s liquor policy and alleged that it did not follow mandatory procedures.

Radhakrishnan alleged that the Left government’s move was to help the foreign liquor mafia and to “drown the state in alcohol”. The LDF had earlier given license to sell the FMFL through outlets of the state-run Kerala State Beverages Corporation (Bevco), the leaders said.

“But the excise department later gave the nod to sellthe same through bars, beer and wine parlours, airport lounges and clubs, irrespective of their classification and there was huge corruption...,” Chennithala alleged.

However, state Excise Minister T P Ramakrishnan dismissed the charges and said that the opposition was trying to create ‘confusion’ among the public by hiding facts.

Their attempt to tarnish the government would not yield the desired results, he said. “The sale of FMFL is not a new thing... The permission had been granted for the same since 2007,” he said.