Congress, BJP demand resignation of Kerala CM after MLA's 'revelations'

Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress and the BJP on Monday demanded the resignation of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan after the Left Democratic Front-backed independent legislator P.V. Anvar levelled serious allegations against the Chief Minister's Office and the Additional Director General of Police (ADGP), M.R. Ajith Kumar.

Leader of Opposition (LoP) V.D. Satheesan hit out at Chief Minister Vijayan and said that serious allegations had been levelled by CPI(M)-backed MLA Anvar such as murder, gold smuggling and tapping of phones of officials and politicians involving the CM's office.

"This is the second round of accusations being levelled against the undesirable things taking place in the office of CM Vijayan. A few years back we all heard his office was involved in gold smuggling and his then-principal secretary, a top bureaucrat, landed in jail. Now we hear the same thing is happening and mind you it's not the Opposition which is levelling these things. Vijayan has no moral right to continue," said Satheesan, and demanded a CBI probe into the revelations by MLA Anvar.

State BJP President K. Surendran has said the Pinarayi Vijayan government has lost its moral authority to remain in power.

"MLA PV Anwar's shocking revelations about the Chief Minister's office being involved with smugglers, criminals, and drug mafias cannot be ignored. Why is the CM silent? Why is there no action against those accused, including the ADGP? If these allegations are baseless, why hasn't the government acted against Anvar? Kerala deserves answers, not silence," State BJP President Surendran added.

On Sunday and Monday, MLA Anvar held successive press conferences and criticised ADGP Ajith Kumar and also the political secretary of Vijayan -- P. Sasi.

MLA Anvar while stating that Sasi had been a failure in not doing his job properly, also slammed Ajith Kumar and alleged that he was acting like a criminal and that he (Ajith Kumar) had colluded in several illegal and shady dealings.

The MLA also alleged that his (Ajith Kumar's) wife was also involved in the shady dealings.

He also said that he had several phone recordings of police officers and added that there were major revelations that he would bring out later.

On Saturday, MLA Anvar leaked a recorded telephonic conversation between him and Pathanamthitta Superintendent of Police, Sujith Das and on Monday, a fresh audio was released by him which shows a police official clearly explaining the role of Ajith Kumar in gold smuggling.

He also added how Ajith Kumar played truant in the solar scam case probe and was tapping the phones of important politicians.

With the CPI-M in the dock, it was the State CPI-M Secretary M.V. Govindan on early Monday morning announced that the party and the government will take swift action and two hours later CM Vijayan ordered a probe into the allegations that MLA Anvar levelled against Ajith Kumar.

CM Vijayan, while speaking at a meeting of the Kerala Police, said there were some "bad bugs" in the police.

"Of late there have been reports about some 'undesirable' happenings and I will make it very clear that such allegations will be probed at the highest level by an officer. The bad bugs in the police will be strongly dealt with," said Vijayan.

Meanwhile, Ajith Kumar, who was also present at the meeting chaired by CM Vijayan, later told the media, "I myself have given a letter to the Chief Minister and the State Police Chief to see that a thorough probe is launched against the allegations that have come up against me."

With the Opposition taking up this issue in a big way, Ajith Kumar is all likely to be shifted and all eyes are on what would be the fate of Sasi.