MLA P V Anvar.
Credit: Facebook/P V Anvar
Malappuram (Kerala): Dissident MLA P V Anvar announced the formation of a new social collective called the Democratic Movement of Kerala (DMK) at a public meeting in Manjeri on Sunday evening.
Anvar said that the organisation seeks to promote political, social, and economic justice for all citizens of Kerala.
"This is not a political movement, nor is it a political party at this stage," he said. "It is a collective of innocent people in the state aimed at addressing corruption and malpractices prevalent in our society."
He acknowledged recent meetings with leaders of the ruling DMK in Tamil Nadu but clarified that his purpose was not to establish a new political party. Instead, it was meant to seek the blessings of DMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin for the initiative.
"We are launching a social collective to address the dangers faced by society with the participation of common people. We need your (Stalin) support...Need the support of the people of Tamil Nadu. For that I went to Chennai," he said.
Without naming anyone, he said that attempts are being made to pressure the DMK in Tamil Nadu to make statements against him.
Anvar alleged that a senior official from the Kerala Chief Minister's Office was sent to Chennai to contact Stalin for this purpose.
Praising the DMK and Stalin, Anvar further noted that they had thwarted the BJP's attempt to gain a foothold in Tamil Nadu during the recent parliamentary election.
However, he accused Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of gifting the Thrissur seat to the BJP in Kerala where the saffron party had not even a remote chance of winning.
He further alleged that there is a CPI(M)-BJP deal for the upcoming bypolls in the Chelakkara and Palakkad assembly constituencies in the state.
"The BJP has secured their victory in the Palakkad constituency. In return, the BJP will support the CPI(M) in Chelakkara," Anvar claimed, accusing ADGP Ajithkumar of acting as the intermediary between the two parties for this plan.
Hundreds of people arrived in Manjeri in support of Anvar, waving DMK flags and draping shawls.
At the public meeting, one of the organisers presented the DMK's policy document, stating that the goal is to achieve freedom of belief and equality through social progress.
The policy document emphasised the need to safeguard Indian democracy and noted that it will serve as a movement for the protection of the Constitution. The aim is to implement a democratic socialist policy based on social justice.
The main objectives of the DMK include conducting a caste census, granting voting rights to expatriates, ending the neglect of Malabar, and declaring the 15th district by dividing the densely populated Malappuram district.
While speaking to reporters earlier in the day, Anvar said that there are "some technical issues" in forming a political party and discussions are ongoing with legal experts.
He explained that there is no confusion regarding the name DMK.
There is a DMK in Tamil Nadu and a DMK in Kerala. There is no confusion between them, the Nilambur MLA said about his new formation.
Anvar, whose accusations against the Chief Minister's Office (CMO) and senior police official M R Ajithkumar on various matters led to the ruling CPI(M) severing its ties with him, alleged that the Left party in Kerala is heading towards a worse condition than that of West Bengal.
This is leading to a situation where CPI(M) candidates are losing the deposits for filing nominations in the elections. The party will have to explain to the people of Kerala why it is still supporting Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's policies, he said.
Reacting cautiously to Anvar's move in its stronghold of Malappuram, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) stated that it will only be able to respond after understanding the form and style of the new collective.
IUML state general secretary P M A Salam said that the IUML is a key partner in the Congress-led UDF and that the alliance will discuss Anvar's decision once it is clearer, and take a position thereafter.
The UDF will be able to form a stance only after Anvar clarifies the nature of his new collective and its position, he told reporters in response to a query.
Meanwhile, LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said that Anvar's move is not a challenge for the CPI(M)-led LDF in Kerala.
"The LDF is a system that has the trust of the people and has been working on the issues they face. Therefore, certain moves by Anvar are not going to affect the LDF," he told reporters.