Kerala ruling Lef Democratic Front (LDF) has decided not to take action against the controversial police officer, ADGP M. R. Ajith Kumar. Earlier, Opposition leader V. D. Satheeshan had claimed that the CM Pinarayi Vijayan sent Ajith Kumar to meet with RSS general secretary Dattatreya Hosabale during a Sangh Parivar camp in Thrissur in May 2023.
Satheeshan had challenged the Chief Minister or Ajith Kumar to deny the claim. It soon became evident that Ajith Kumar had also met another top RSS leader, Ram Madhav, and further allegations surfaced that a relative of the CM and a prominent businessman close to him were present during a meeting with Ram Madhav in Kovalam in June.
At the LDF meeting held today at the AKG Centre in Thiruvananthapuram, CPI(M) allies called for action against ADGP M. R. Ajith Kumar following revelations that he had a private meeting with the RSS leadership. However, the Chief Minister reportedly maintained that Ajith Kumar's meeting with RSS leaders would be included in the ongoing investigation, led by the DGP, which is already probing other allegations against the ADGP raised by LDF MLA P. V. Anvar.
Anvar accused Ajith Kumar of betraying the government's trust, labelling him a notorious criminal with alleged connections to gold smuggling. He also accused Ajith Kumar of amassing illicit wealth, tapping the phone conversations of politicians, including ministers, and operating with impunity due to his ties with P. Sasi. Anvar further claimed that Ajith Kumar sabotaged the Thrissur Pooram to benefit the BJP in general elections. It is in Thrissur that the BJP notably won its first Lok Sabha seat in Kerala.
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CPI State Secretary Binoy Viswam reportedly met with CPI(M) State Secretary M. V. Govindan before the LDF meeting to convey his party's demand for action against ADGP Ajith Kumar. NCP leader P. C. Chacko and RJD leader Varghese George also called for the ADGP's removal while speaking to the media ahead of the meeting.
However, to the dismay of the allies, CM Vijayan reportedly took a stance that there are technical issues preventing the immediate removal of ADGP Ajith Kumar, and emphasized that the high-level probe into the allegations was already underway.
The reactions and body language of leaders like Viswam and George after the meeting indicated that the allies were unhappy with the decision.
Incidentally, the new LDF convener, T. P. Ramakrishnan, faced a barrage of questions on the issue during his first press conference in the role. Ramakrishnan claimed that strict actions would be taken based on the findings of the high-level probe into the allegations. “The reason why the ADGP met the RSS leaders will be investigated. And, if the officer will face strict action if he is found guilty,” he said, while adding that the government has already taken ample measures in the matter.
