Asianet Communications Ltd., one of the leading TV channel companies in Kerala, revealed on Tuesday that there is no proposal for change of ownership of the Asianet News network, though discussions are on with some investors in the media and outside on participation in Asianet's expansion schemes at the national and international levels. The clarification from Asianet came after CPI (M) State Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan alleged that there is an 'ominous' trend in the move to take over a leading Malayalam TV channel by an Indian subsidiary, controlled by world media tycoon Rupert Murdoch. Addressing a meeting of pro-CPI(M) employees' union at Thiruvananthapuram, Pinarayi Vijayan said this move should be seen as an attempt to weaken the Leftist orientation of the people of Kerala by an international media corporation. The imperialist forces earlier used to influence the domestic media in many ways and now, a leading news channel in Malayalam was being taken over by an international media group, he alleged. This cannot be seen just as a change of ownership. This is an attempt to try whether the very character of the society could be changed, Pinarayi Vijayan added. Meanwhile, Asianet vice-chairman K. Madhavan said in a statement that the clarification was being issued in the wake of speculation about foreign equity participation in Asianet Communications Ltd. "Given that the Indian government does not permit foreign control in any channel, there is no basis for the speculation that the policies of the Asianet News network will fall under foreign control," he said.