MLA P V Anvar
Credit: Facebook/P V Anvar
Thiruvananthapuram: The ruling CPI(M) in Kerala has decided to strongly resist dissident MLA P V Anvar by framing him as one speaking for gold smugglers and trying to help opposition parties.
With Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan rejecting the barrage of allegations raised by Anvar against him and CPI (M) state secretary M V Govindan stating the party is cutting all ties with Anvar, CPI(M) workers at Anvar's hometown Nilambur in Malappuram staged a protest march raising provocative slogans and burning his effigy.
Anvar said that he would take forward his fight against the CPI(M) government legally. He also indicated that he would form a new political party soon.
Vijayan told reporters in Delhi that Anvar's intentions behind raising baseless allegations against him and his government were quite clear. He said that he would speak about it in detail later.
Vijayan had earlier accused Anvar of trying to protect gold smugglers as Anvar alleged that IPS officers involved in busting gold smuggling rackets at Malappuram had siphoned off gold.
CPI(M) state secretary said that Anvar was toeing the line of right-wing parties and a section of media to attack the CPI(M). Govindan rubbished Anvar's statement that the CPI(M) leaders were unable to raise voice against Pinarayi within the party.
Meanwhile, there were allegations that a section of CPI(M) senior leaders were backing Anvar covertly. There were also unconfirmed reports that Anvar and a CPI(M) senior leader from Kerala had a secret meeting abroad earlier.
There were speculations that Anvar, who was a former Congress worker, may return to the Congress party. A section in the Congress was learnt to be unhappy over Anvar's return as the Nilambur MLA had even personally attacked Congress leader Rahul Gandhi during the Lok Sabha election campaign. Anvar had said that Rahul's DNA needs to be tested as the Congress leader was not showing the standards expected from a Nehru scion.
Anvar, who won the election as CPI(M)-backed independent MLA for the second time in a row from Nilambur, was till recently a close confidant of Pinarayi Vijayan. Even as Anvar faced serious allegations with regard to a water theme park owned by his family, the party defended him.