Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala’s Left leadership has been dragged further into the liquor bar bribery case, as another audio recording has surfaced.

In the latest audio, bar owner Biju Ramesh is heard telling his business colleagues that the Communist Party of India Marxist leadership had given assurance to help them out.

The development comes even as the ruling United Democratic Front is under stress in the liquor bar bribery case and the solar power scam, with numerous allegations levelled against the Congress, Indian Union Muslim League and Kerala Congress (M) leaders.

In an audio taped conversation that surfaced on Monday, a voice that appears to be that of Ramesh is heard saying the Left leaders had assured him of allowing the reopening of 418 liquor bars that were closed by the UDF government in pursuance of its policy that aims at total prohibition.

In the recorded conversation, Ramesh says he got word from Left leaders, including CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, about their support for reopening the closed bars.

He goes on to say the LDF could support the move to reopen bars if opposition leader V.S. Achuthanandan also agrees.

Ramesh’s latest allegation puts both the LDF and UDF in bad light in the liquor bar bribery case.

Political observers feel his latest claim is likely to help the Bharatiya Janata Party, which has emerged a third front in the upcoming assembly elections scheduled for May.

Meanwhile, the UDF’s worries increased, with solar power scam accused, Saritha S. Nair, saying in Kannur on Monday she would provide more “scientific evidence” against chief minister Oommen Chandy in the next phase of the inquiry.

She has vowed to give the evidence to the Justice E. Sivarajan Commission, a judicial commission that is probing the solar power scam. She said the fresh evidence would corroborate what she had already deposed before the commission.

Saritha alleges she paid Rs19 million to one Thomas Kuruvilla, as instructed by Chandy, and Rs2 million to the police association, through its official G.R. Ajith, towards sponsorship of an event conducted by the association.

Nair was at Kannur in connection with a case she faces at the first class magistrate’s court with regard to embezzlement of money while running her firm, Team Solar.