Thiruvananthapuram, 27 March (H.S.):Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala has levelled serious allegations of corruption against the Kerala government, claiming that a ₹700 crore scam is being orchestrated within the Cooperative Department.

Addressing the media, Chennithala alleged that irregularities have surfaced in the department’s proposed common software project, which is intended to streamline operations across cooperative institutions in the state. He claimed that the tender process for the project had been manipulated to favour specific entities, raising concerns about transparency and fairness.

According to him, the contract—originally expected to be awarded to Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)—was instead redirected to the Dinesh Beedi Cooperative Society. He further alleged that the tender was reissued with modified conditions, allegedly designed to exclude larger, established firms like TCS from the bidding process.

Chennithala claimed that the revised eligibility criteria allowed participation only from two Kannur-based cooperative societies, effectively limiting competition. He described this as a deliberate move to ensure that only select entities could qualify for the tender, thereby raising suspicions of favouritism.

Highlighting financial concerns, he said that the Dinesh Beedi Cooperative Society had quoted ₹58 crore to provide software solutions for around 250 cooperative institutions. He questioned the pricing and the process, alleging that the entire project could be part of a much larger financial irregularity amounting to ₹700 crore.

Calling the development a “massive scam,” Chennithala demanded a thorough investigation into the tender process. He also asserted that if the United Democratic Front (UDF) returns to power, the tender would be cancelled and the project reviewed to ensure transparency and accountability.

The state government has not yet responded to the allegations.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman