P V Anvar made quite a fuss, was it all for nothing?
Even when Anvar was going full-throttle against CM's political secretary P Sasi, the party was in a dither.
Even when Anvar was going full-throttle against CM's political secretary P Sasi, the party was in a dither.
Even when Anvar was going full-throttle against CM's political secretary P Sasi, the party was in a dither.
The year 2024 brought significant upheaval to Kerala's social, political, and environmental landscapes. Among the events that defined the year, the Wayanad landslide in July stands out as the deadliest natural disaster, claiming over 400 lives and exposing the state's vulnerability to extreme weather events.This is the second part of Onmanorama’s yearender series, “The Year of Upheaval,” which examines how this tragedy unfolded and the lessons it holds for Kerala's future.
Read Part 1: A budding CA & a senior bureaucrat, why their tragic deaths left Kerala in shock.
Read Part 2: When the earth gave way: The Wayanad landslide and grim warnings for Kerala.
In a year which saw many defections and twists in Kerala's political scene, few matched the commotion caused by Nilambur MLA P V Anvar. What began as a harmless grouse against Malappuram SP during a public meeting assumed unexpected proportions, forcing CPM to go into damage-control mode.
The sudden onslaught from Anvar caught the CPM unaware. At one point, it seemed like he had the backing of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Even when Anvar was going full-throttle against CM's political secretary P Sasi, the party was in a dither. Initially, CPM State Secretary M V Govindan assured of a probe into allegations levelled by Anvar against Sasi and then ADGP Law and Order MR Ajith Kumar. He then announced that the party severed all ties with Anvar and accused him of pursuing a right-wing political agenda. This was followed by a volley of statements by party leaders to discredit Anvar.
The impact Anvar left on CPM was undeniable. His bevy of allegations initially found favour among a section of the CPM cadre. There was the sense of stirrings of a power shift, with M V Govindan asserting himself and not hiding his displeasure over ADGP's meeting with the RSS leaders. Only when Anvar widened his target and took on the secular nature of the CPM did Govindan finally put his foot down and turned against Anvar.
Anvar was also the first political leader to call CPM's bluff. He laid bare the imperceptible but intentional Hindu-pleasing tone of the CPM after the Lok Sabha elections. Pinarayi Vijayan spoke about gold smuggling and hawala transactions detected at Karipur airport and said this money was used for anti-national activities. Anvar demanded an apology from the CM for his comments against Malappuram. It was cited that the CM was giving official endorsement to the anti-Muslim narrative propagated by the Sangh Parivar. Anvar took on this CPM ploy and messed up the carefully curated secular image of CPM as a pro-minority party. As the row over the Thrissur pooram fiasco flared up, Anvar could amplify the perception that CPM had dubious links with Sangh Parivar forces.
While his potential as a big player in Kerala politics is questionable, Anvar could sharpen the opposition by forcing them to amplify the attack on CPM following ADGP's meeting with RSS leaders. The government was also forced to order a vigilance probe against Ajith Kumar in the wake of allegations surrounding the disproportionate amassing of wealth. It remains to be seen if the probe takes the right course and CPM will come clean on allegations raised by Anvar against P Sasi.
Read other yearender articles here:
Part 1: A budding CA & a senior bureaucrat, why their tragic deaths left Kerala in shock.
Read Part 2: When the earth gave way: The Wayanad landslide and grim warnings for Kerala.