Dissident Independent MLA P.V. Anvar, who was recently ousted from the Left Democratic Front (LDF), on Wednesday attended the ongoing Assembly session, claiming that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was set to fly to the United States to settle undisclosed issues, which he vowed to reveal soon.
This comes after Anvar did not attend the previous day's session, where he was assigned a seat among the opposition by the Speaker.
Before arriving at the Assembly, Anvar intensified his allegations against Vijayan, stating that the Chief Minister, along with his family, would soon be travelling to the US. He hinted that the trip was meant to address certain unresolved matters, adding, “If necessary, I will disclose the exact reasons for his visit.”
Vijayan, however, was absent from the Assembly session due to illness, with reports indicating he was resting at his official residence.
Anvar, who has been at odds with the CM and the CPI(M) leadership for over a month, has made a series of serious allegations, targeting Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) M.R. Ajith Kumar and P. Sasi, the Chief Minister’s political secretary, accusing them of supporting gold smugglers. While Ajith Kumar has been transferred from his law and order position as a consequence of these claims, Sasi remains untouched.
In a separate move, Anvar met Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, expressing his lack of faith in the police investigation into the gold smuggling case. He claimed that the authorities were withholding critical information on the smuggling operation. “The police are aware of the details surrounding the gold smuggling racket but are not acting on them. I have briefed the Governor, and if the case escalates to the High Court, his input could prove influential,” said Anvar.
This meeting between Anvar and Governor Khan comes in the wake of two letters sent by Khan to the Chief Minister on the gold smuggling issue, which have reportedly gone unanswered. The Governor had earlier emphasised that the smuggled gold’s proceeds were allegedly being used for anti-national activities. Despite his concerns, both the chief secretary and the state police chief failed to provide a briefing on the case, as instructed by the state government.
According to sources, Governor Khan is expected to raise the matter with President Droupadi Murmu, adding further pressure on the Vijayan-led administration.