Kerala: Nilambur MLA Anvar cuts ties with ruling LDF, lashes out at CM

Kerala’s independent Left MLA P V Anvar on Thursday (September 26) ended his association with the ruling LDF.

At a press conference in Malappuram, Anvar, who represents the Nilambur Assembly constituency, lashed out at Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, accusing him of misleading the public and demanding that he give up the charge of the Home department.

Anvar calls Vijayan 'cheat'

Anvar also challenged Vijayan to order a reinvestigation of the around 180 gold smuggling cases in the state under the supervision of a sitting judge, alleging the police were not following proper procedure when seizing the precious metal from the 'carriers' who bring it from abroad illegally.

Lashing out at the chief minister, Anvar even called Vijayan a "cheat".

He said that ruling CPI(M) in the state has gone back on the assurances given to him with regard to the various allegations and complaints he made against ADGP M R Ajithkumar and the chief minister’s political secretary P Sasi.

He said he had acceded to the Left party's direction not to make public statements based on the assurances given by the CPI(M).

"However, I now understand that the inquiry and probe into the various allegations and complaints by me is not going on properly," Anvar said.

Vijayan's criticism

His latest statements come days after Vijayan sharply criticised Anvar for continuously holding press conferences making allegations against Sasi and Ajithkumar.

Vijayan had also strongly backed Sasi, saying there was no wrongdoing on his part irrespective of who says otherwise.

The CM had also described the Nilambur legislator as someone not with a Leftist background but rather as having come from the Congress party.

Apparently hurt by Vijayan's certain remarks, Anvar said the chief minister has created an impression in the minds of the Kerala society that the Nilambur MLA was behind the smuggling activities.

"He made statements that were damaging to me," he said.

Anvar further said he had hoped the Left party would correct the statements by the chief minister, "but no such correction came from their side".

The Left MLA further alleged that the only contribution of the eight year LDF rule in the state was the restraint by the CM on the people's representatives to work for the public or intervene in the issues of general importance.

"If things go on like this, he (Vijayan) will be the last CM of the Communist movement in the state. He is being led by some vested groups," Anvar contended.

Attack on Riyas

Regarding the alleged improper probe of the gold smuggling cases, Anvar alleged it was all happening with the chief minister's knowledge.

Anvar said he was making this statement after talking to some carriers and showed videos of his interactions with them about how police "swiped" some of the gold seized from them when they were caught.

This was in response to Vijayan's recent remarks that reduction in the weight of seized gold when it reaches the court is purely technical.

"Some people smuggle gold hidden in their garments, while others mix it with different substances. When the gold is seized, the weight is calculated along with the items used to conceal it. However, once the gold is extracted, the weight changes," Vijayan had explained.

Anvar, while attacking the chief minister, did not spare his son-in-law and state Tourism Minister P A Mohammed Riyas.

He alleged that the party was being destroyed to improve the prospects of Riyas.

He also attacked the Congress-led UDF opposition by accusing it of having a nexus with the ruling CPI(M) in the state.

"That is why many cases affecting party leaders do not get solved. That is why the opposition has not taken up the issues I have raised," he said.

Clarification on remarks on Rahul Gandhi

At the same time, he clarified that he never questioned the biological DNA of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, during the Lok Sabha poll campaign in Kerala, and had referred to his "political DNA".

Anvar said that Rahul, based on briefings by some Congress leaders, had questioned why Vijayan was not arrested by the ED and "it had to be responded to".

"So, I questioned his political DNA. I had clarified it back then also," he said.

On reporters' queries whether he would resign from his MLA position or float a new party, Anvar said he would not give up anything he has got.

"I will sit in the middle of the Assembly, neither on the left nor on the right," he added.

He also said that he will not be attending the CPI(M)'s parliamentary party meeting either.

Public meeting about his plans

Anvar said he now only trusts the communist party workers and the court.

"My next step will be to move the High Court. Prior to that, I will be holding a public meeting to tell the people about my plans," he said.

The Left MLA also said that the ADGP was probably the one "who wrote the script read out by the CM", referring to Vijayan's recent press conference on September 21.

Anvar also alleged that it was Sasi who was responsible for protecting the bad elements in the police force.

He said he had told the chief minister that his popularity among the public was going down due to the actions of his political secretary.

Anvar had on Wednesday resumed his attack on the ruling LDF government, terming as a "joke" a probe reportedly ordered by it into ADGP Ajithkumar's meeting with an RSS leader last year.

(With agency inputs)