Date:18/05/2007 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2007/05/18/stories/2007051803480500.htm

Tamil Nadu

Pinarayi calls on Maudany in jail

Special Correspondent

CPI(M) State secretary holds hour-long meeting

Discusses health and cases against Maudany

COIMBATORE: Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary Pinarayi Vijayan called on People's Democratic Party (PDP) chairman Abdul Nasir Maudany at the Central Prison here on Thursday.

Mr. Maudany is an undertrial in the Coimbatore serial blasts case.

The blasts on February 14, 1998 had killed 58 people and injured many others.

Mr. Vijayan met Mr. Maudany for an hour from noon. CPI(M) MP A. Vijayaraghavan, PDP working chairman Poonthura Siraj and general secretary Muhammed Rajeeb were present.

While Mr. Vijayan did not speak to , Mr. Siraj told them that the CPI(M) leader and Mr. Maudany discussed the latter's health, the cases against him in connection with the blasts and the political situation in Kerala.

Mr. Vijayan's visit is considered as a goodwill gesture to Mr. Maudany for the PDP's support to the CPI(M) in the last Assembly elections.

The visit coincided with the completion of the first year of the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front Government in Kerala. Mr. Siraj said Mr. Maudany had acute ulcer and suffered from disc prolapse.