Left MLA Anvar lashes out against Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan
Malappuram(Kerala) (PTI): Virtually ending his association with the ruling LDF, independent Left MLA P V Anvar on Thursday 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 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 was not following proper procedure when seizing the precious metal from the 'carriers' who bring it from abroad illegally.
Lashing out at the CM, Anvar even called Vijayan a "cheat".
The MLA from Nilambur assembly constituency 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 CM'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 at a press conference held here.
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 CM 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 CM, "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.
Regarding the alleged improper probe of the gold smuggling cases, Anvar alleged it was all happening with the CM's knowledge.
Anvar said he is 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 CM, 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.
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 Gandhi, 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 will 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.
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 CM 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.
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CM Siddaramaiah alleges ‘criminal conspiracy’ in Sringeri recount, vows legal action
Bengaluru (PTI): Alleging a “criminal conspiracy” by BJP candidate D N Jeevaraj in the Sringeri Assembly poll recounting, Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah on Tuesday said the outcome was manipulated after valid postal ballot votes in favour of Congress leader T D Raje Gowda were tampered with during the recounting process.
Following a Karnataka High Court order on an election petition filed by Jeevaraj, challenging Raje Gowda’s election, the reverification and recounting were conducted on Saturday.
After the reverification and recount of postal ballots for the Sringeri Assembly constituency, votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda were reduced by 255, the returning officer said.
A report on the matter has been submitted to the Election Commission of India for further action, the officer added.
Congress leader Raje Gowda had won the 2023 Assembly polls from Sringeri by 201 votes, defeating his nearest rival Jeevaraj.
Addressing a press conference in Bengaluru, Siddaramaiah said the High Court had directed the recounting of postal ballots and that irregularities were noticed during the exercise conducted on May 2.
“This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” Siddaramaiah said, alleging that valid votes cast in favour of Raje Gowda were altered after being accepted by counting agents of all parties, including Congress, BJP, and JD(S).
He claimed that during the recounting of postal ballots, 255 votes were initially accepted as valid by all agents but were later tampered with by subordinate officials.
“There is a second mark on the votes polled in favour of Raje Gowda. They had accepted these as valid votes. Subsequently, another mark was made by officials. This is a clear case of criminal conspiracy,” he said.
When asked who was behind the alleged conspiracy, the CM replied, “It was hatched by Jeevaraj and others. It is planned.”
Siddaramaiah further alleged that the returning officer acted improperly by declaring the result despite the presence of an Election Commission observer during the recounting.
“Immediately after the counting, the returning officer announced the result. He should not have done so; this is against the law,” he said.
He pointed out that Raje Gowda had originally won by 201 votes, but after the recounting, the BJP candidate was declared the winner by 52 votes.
“The BJP has committed a criminal act of conspiracy. This is not vote chori but vote dacoity,” he alleged.
The CM said a police complaint had already been filed by Raje Gowda’s election agent, Sudhir Kumar, and emphasised the need for electoral integrity.
“We want transparency and free and fair elections. That is what our Constitution mandates,” he added.
Stating that the government would pursue legal remedies, Siddaramaiah said, “We are preparing an appeal challenging the returning officer’s announcement in a court of law.”
Responding to a separate query on elections in other states, the CM said there appeared to be an anti-incumbency factor in West Bengal, while results in Tamil Nadu were “surprising,” adding that Vijay’s party was emerging as the largest there.
Following the victory of party candidates in Bagalkote and Davanagere South, Siddaramaiah expressed confidence about future electoral prospects in Karnataka.
“Even in 2028, we will win the Assembly elections. We will come back,” the CM said.
Siddaramaiah added that he would order a forensic examination into the alleged tampering of postal ballots.
