The CPI(M) faces controversy as disowned MLA, PV Anvar accuses Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of corruption, claiming police-uncovered gold smuggling in Malappuram had his “blessings” and alleging BJP’s manipulated victory in Thrissur.
Published Oct 10, 2024 | 1:00 PM ⚊ Updated Oct 10, 2024 | 1:00 PM
The Chief Minister, while not rejecting the move outright, insisted on waiting until the assembly sessions are over, thus allowing Saseendran to continue in his ministerial position for now.
The 12th session of the 15th Kerala Assembly has been stormy since it began on 4 October.
The ruling CPI(M) is tangled in controversies — Independent MLA PV Anvar representing Nilambur constituency raised allegations of corruption against Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. He alleged that the BJP’s victory in the Thrissur Lok Sabha constituency was engineered.
Anvar, who had the CPI(M) backing, has now been disowned by the Marxist party.
The CPI(M) is also under pressure from its ally, the Nationalist Congress Party, which is upset over how power is divided within the coalition.
A faction within the NCP is demanding the removal of AK Saseendran, the party nominee in the state cabinet, as Minister for Forests and Wildlife Protection.
Could these pressures signal a shift in Kerala’s political dynamics?
The chief minister has asked the NCP to wait until the assembly session concludes before any decision is made about the cabinet.
The NCP leadership has sought that Saseendran be replaced with Thomas K. Thomas as minister. Saseendran represents the Elathur constituency in Kozhikode district.
During a meeting at Cliff House, the chief minister’s official residence, NCP leaders, including the party’s national working president, PC Chacko and Thomas, presented the party’s proposal to the Chief Minister.
Thomas, an MLA from the Kuttanad constituency in Alappuzha district, initially received strong backing from NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and the state leadership.
A few weeks ago, he met Pawar in Mumbai. He told South First: “Pawar Sahib will make the final decision on the cabinet reshuffle.”
Media reports indicated, following that meeting, that NCP national president Pawar was inclined to support Thomas.
Chief Minister Vijayan however raised concerns over certain controversies surrounding Thomas, who earlier claimed that there was an attempt on his life, orchestrated by his own driver.
Vijayan, while not rejecting the NCP suggestion outright, insisted on waiting until the assembly session is over, allowing Saseendran to continue in his ministerial position for now.
Chacko is reportedly dissatisfied with the delay in implementing the internal decision of his party.
Thomas meanwhile has been impatient: “There’s a limit to the humiliation one can endure. If a decision isn’t made swiftly, more drastic measures will be necessary,” he said.
He has earlier claimed a “right” to be minister, since he is one of two MLAs representing the NCP in the Kerala assembly.
CPI(M) State Committee Member and lawyer K. Anilkumar told South First that the NCP plays an important role in national politics, and CPI(M) maintains a strong connection with the party, both at the state and national levels.
He noted that Pawar had come to the aid of the CPI(M) earlier too when matters in the state unit of the party threatened to become disruptive. CPI(M) values this solid support from the national leadership of the party, Anilkumar said.
Anilkumar also addressed the media’s focus on a few local NCP leaders leaving LDF and aligning with Anvar. He said the defections would not impact the LDF coalition.
He dismissed as baseless allegations Anvar made of corruption in the tender for a national highway and for the accreditation of a hotel. Previously, Anvar blamed the state government and the chief minister, but these two matters fall under the jurisdiction of the central government, according to Anilkumar.
Regarding the cabinet reshuffle, Anilkumar explained that such decisions are typically not made in the course of sessions of the assembly. The chief minister will finalise any changes once the session concludes, he said. The state assembly session is set to end on 15 October.
There is widespread speculation that a coalition might take shape between Anvar’s Democratic Kerala Movement (DKM) and Tamil Nadu’s ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), especially after the MLA met DMK leaders in Tamil Nadu.
However, rather more significant is the meeting of Anvar with NCP chief Chacko.
Media reports indicated that NCP Malappuram district president PV Ajmal, Anvar’s brother, also attended the meeting.
Chacko, a former Congress stalwart and Lok Sabha member, left the party several years ago to align with his longtime mentor, Pawar.
There are rumours that Chacko, with Anvar and Thomas, might rejoin the Congress. Chacko’s political heft, and his previous association with the Congress lend weight to these speculations, even as his differences with the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) have been deepening.
One prominent political observer, who asked not to be named, said, “The chief minister will not take any action against Saseendran. For a party like NCP, its leaders hold more importance than the party ideology. Saseendran’s value as a politician remains crucial for the LDF.”
(Edited by Rosamma Thomas)
