THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Enforcement Directorate’s request for a probe against Pinarayi Vijayan under the Prevention of Corruption Act in the CMRL-Exalogic Solutions monthly payment case has left the UDF government caught in a political bind: act on the central agency’s request and risk strengthening the CPM’s charge of a BJP-Congress understanding, or hold back and hand the BJP fresh ammunition against the Congress.
The government has opted for caution, seeking legal opinion and examining whether it needs further details from the ED before deciding on the request. Government and Congress sources said there was no desire to act in haste.
“The ED is now seeking registration of a case under the Prevention of Corruption Act, which comes under the purview of the state government,” said a top bureaucrat. “They had earlier claimed that they were inquiring into the matter under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. Different agencies have already inquired into the case.”
The Home and Law departments have been asked to examine the various legal and procedural aspects before the government takes a decision.
“The government has to seek clarification on several aspects before deciding whether to register a case. Which laws come within the ambit of this issue? Would one investigating agency be sufficient? In which areas does the state need further evidence or documents from the ED? These are some of the questions that have to be examined,” the official said.
The Congress leadership is also wary of appearing to act in haste, particularly in view of the political fallout from the previous LDF government’s decision in January 2021 to recommend a CBI probe against former chief minister Oommen Chandy based on a woman’s petition.
“The then chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the CPM had used the case as a political weapon against the UDF. However, the CBI gave Oommen Chandy a clean chit in 2022-23. We do not want to repeat the same political mistake,” said a KPCC office bearer.
Congress leaders fear that acting on the ED’s request could allow the CPM to accuse the UDF government of functioning at the behest of a central agency. At the same time, they see the ED move as an opportunity to put Pinarayi and the CPM on the defensive.
“If the inquiry continues for three to five years, the CPM and the LDF could find themselves in a difficult position defending their stand before the public,” said a member of the party’s political affairs committee.
For the CPM, the ED move has come at a politically useful juncture. The party is yet to fully come to terms with its Assembly election defeat, which triggered criticism of Pinarayi and state secretary MV Govindan. The ED action gives the leadership an opportunity to shift the political narrative towards the Congress’s response to a central agency and potentially take some heat off the internal debate over the electoral setback.
A section of CPM leaders, meanwhile, privately believes that the confrontation with the ED in Thiruvananthapuram, particularly the alleged violence against agency officials following the raid at Pinarayi’s residence, may have contributed to the latest action by the central agency.
“Before this incident, the ED had taken a soft stand towards Pinarayi. The state and district leadership are responsible for failing to prevent it,” said a CPM leader.
Unease within the party, however, goes beyond the ED action. Some leaders remain uncomfortable with the manner in which the former chief minister’s daughter secured the contract from CMRL, in which a government establishment such as the Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation holds a stake. They believe this has allowed the controversy to linger and remain politically damaging.
For the BJP, the development offers an opening whichever way the UDF government moves.
If the government registers a case, the BJP can step up its demand for action against Pinarayi. If it chooses not to act, the BJP can allege that the Congress and CPM have reached an understanding to shield him.
