Thiruvananthapuram | CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury accused the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday of adopting 'intimidating tactics' and stated that the rate of conviction in the cases registered by it is minimal.

Addressing a press conference, Yechury said, "5,500 cases have been registered by the ED. What is the rate of conviction? 23. Only 25 have reached the court. None of them were politicians."

He said this in response to a question regarding the BJP's accusation that opposition leaders facing ED probes are running away.

"Who is running away? ED is only intimidating," he alleged, adding that the question should be answered by the BJP regarding who is avoiding the probe.

He alleged that if a politician facing a probe joins the BJP, then the ED stops cases against him.

"If you join the BJP, why does the ED stop the cases?" Yechury asked, citing the alleged cessation of ED investigations against two powerful politicians in Maharashtra who joined the BJP-led alliance there.

He alleged that the "system of democracy has been virtually murdered" under BJP rule.

Yechury said it is going to be a direct fight between the CPI(M)-led LDF and the Congress-led UDF in Kerala in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.