CPI(M) chief Sitaram Yechury on Monday played down the gold smuggling scam in Kerala which has rocked the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, and has also put leaders of Left parties on the back-foot.
Although CPI(M) leaders at party’s headquarters do not say much, but the Kerala imbroglio in all probability will figure during the upcoming two-day virtual meeting of the Central Committee, starting July 25.
Besides Kerala, the upcoming Assembly elections in Bihar, the Centre’s alleged shortcomings in tackling Covid pandemic and related issues, problems of migrant labourers, economy and government’s foreign policy will be among issues to be discussed in the Central Committee meeting.
“The Kerala unit of the party is looking into the developments,” Yechury said during his brief interaction with The Tribune.
Although Yechury was not explicit, his statement implied that the central organs of the party took a considered view on issues on the basis of formal reports from the state unit.
The CPI(M)-led Left Front government in the state is under fire from the opposition parties, including the BJP and the Congress.
They have stepped up the demand for stepping down of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on moral ground, and also in the interest of fair and impartial probe in the gold smuggling scam.
The former Principal Secretary of the Chief Minister M Sivasankar, who was also secretary of the IT department, is under the lens as are some government officials and politicians, including an incumbent Minister in the Kerala Government.
The NIA is also looking into a terror angle in the case, in as much as the proceeds from the gold racket possibly used to finance terrorism and subversive acts.
A section in the CPI(M) and CPI of the Left Front are unhappy at Vijayan allowing his Principal Secretary to assume disproportionate power and authority.
