Opposition rift widens as DMK, AAP back CPI(M) over ED raids on ex-CM Pinarayi Vijayan

New Delhi: Exposing further chinks in the Opposition ranks, DMK and AAP on Wednesday rallied behind the CPI(M) and questioned the Congress’ role after Enforcement Directorate (ED) conducted searches at premises linked to Kerala Leader of Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan in connection with CMRL monthly payment case.

As CPI(M) protested near Enforcement Directorate (ED) headquarters in Delhi, with party General Secretary MA Baby and several others being briefly detained, DMK chief MK Stalin and his AAP counterpart Arvind Kejriwal condemned the "blatant misuse" of central agencies and raked up "reckless allegations" made by Congress leaders like Rahul Gandhi against the CPI(M) leader.

On Monday, the CPI(M) had castigated the Congress for its attack on the Left party by linking it with the BJP and said the grand old party’s attitude to the Opposition parties is not helpful in building unity in the I.N.D.I.A bloc in the fight against the BJP-RSS.

Stalin posted on 'X' that he "strongly" condemns the ED raids directed against Vijayan and said such actions once again raise serious concerns over the growing pattern of central agencies being weaponised against Opposition leaders. 

"Incidentally, this also exposes the hollowness of the reckless allegations made by some Congress leaders who repeatedly questioned why Pinarayi Vijayan had 'not yet been targeted by the BJP'!" he said referring to statements by Rahul and Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge against CPI(M) during Kerala Assembly election campaign.

Kejriwal said the ED raid was "yet another blatant misuse" of central agencies by the BJP to "target regional opposition parties and undermine" democracy. The "ED’s immediate raid after Congress started complaining about ‘inaction’, raises questions on the BJP-Congress relationship," he posted on X.

RJD’s Tejashwi Yadav did not mention Congress but called the searches politically motivated and with “malice and revenge”. The BJP government misuses investigative agencies to serve its political interests and to eliminate regional parties, he said while asking the Modi government to provide details of leaders who were inducted into BJP after filing cases against them.

Baby said it is a "targeted attack on a top opposition leader" by the BJP government and added, "Such actions will not intimidate Pinarayi Vijayan or the CPI(M). Is the UDF government complicit in this raid?" CPI General Secretary D Raja said the "repeated weaponisation" of central agencies against opposition-ruled states and dissenting political voices poses a serious threat to democracy and federalism. 

In a statement, CPI(M) said Polit Bureau members Ashok Dhawale, Mariam Dhawale and Vijoo Krishnan and senior leader Brinda Karat among others were detained during the protest.

Addressing the protesters, Baby said such an action taking place immediately after Kerala Chief Minister VD Satheesan meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi raises serious questions and appears to be a politically orchestrated drama. 

"Several individuals whose names reportedly appeared in the CMRL diary continue to hold important positions in the state government. However, while ignoring all of them, the continuous targeting of Pinarayi Vijayan further exposes the political vendetta behind these actions," he said.

The CPI(M) has no intention to obstruct any investigation but the “blatant misuse” of central agencies for political targeting cannot be accepted and the party will organise protests across the country against the “elective targeting” of opposition leaders and the attacks on democratic rights, he added.