The 24th CPI-M Party Congress, currently underway in Madurai, was rocked on Friday with the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO) naming Veena Vijayan, the daughter of Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, as an accused in a charge sheet. Veena Vijayan is alleged to have received illegal payments totaling Rs 2.70 crore from Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) in return for securing mining sanctions.
Despite the gravity of the development, the CPI-M leadership quickly rallied behind Veena Vijayan. Prakash Karat, the party’s general secretary in charge, strongly defended the family, stating, “If the agencies think they can target CM Vijayan by registering a case against a family member, the party will deal with it legally and politically.” His statement indicated that the party would not back down in the face of legal and political challenges.
M.A. Baby, a prominent CPI-M Politburo member and a leading candidate for the party’s general secretary post, questioned the timing of the charge sheet. “The agency acted while our Party Congress is underway. This clearly indicates an agenda. The party will respond accordingly,” Baby remarked, suggesting that the move was politically motivated.
Kerala CPI-M state secretary M.V. Govindan also criticized the SFIO’s actions, alleging political bias. He pointed out that the case involved two companies with no apparent connection to the state government. Furthermore, he highlighted that three Vigilance Courts had already dismissed the case, and the Kerala High Court had recently refused to allow a Vigilance probe. “There is no evidence against CM Vijayan, and we will challenge this legally and politically,” Govindan asserted.
In addition to party leaders, several senior CPI-M officials, including state ministers P. Rajeeve and K.N. Balagopal, as well as former minister K.K. Shailaja, voiced their unwavering support for Veena Vijayan.
In contrast, the Congress and BJP have both announced statewide protests, calling for the resignation of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in light of the allegations.
Veena Vijayan, who is the second accused in the charge sheet, faces allegations alongside CMRL, Exalogic (a company linked to her), and CMRL’s Managing Director, Sasidharan Kartha. This is the first time in the history of the Kerala CPI-M that a Chief Minister’s daughter has been implicated in such a case. The SFIO has filed the charge sheet in a Special Economic Offenses Court in Kochi, and there are speculations that the CPI-M may challenge the charge sheet in court. The key question now is whether the SFIO will summon Veena Vijayan for questioning.
Veena, who is married to Kerala Tourism Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas, has so far remained silent on the matter, as has her father, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, and her husband. The case has not only intensified political tensions in Kerala but also drawn attention to the potential ramifications for the ruling CPI-M. As the legal and political battle unfolds, all eyes will be on how the party and the government respond to the charge sheet.
