Pinarayi in the eye of a political storm over Swapna-Sivasankar ties

Thiruvananthapuram: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the Kerala government are finding themselves in the middle of a political storm after removing top bureaucat M Sivasankar as a fallout of the gold-smuggling case.

The Congress and the United Democratic Front (UDF) have called for agitation in the state and the BJP has also charged members of the CM's office are linked to the case.

On Sunday, the Customs officials at the Trivandrum International Airport seized 30 kg gold worth about Rs 13.5 crore from a diplomatic baggage addressed to the UAE Consulate at the Kerala capital. The gold was being smuggled into Kerala from the UAE through the diplomatic channel. The main accused in the racket, Swapna Suresh, an ex-employee of the IT department and the same Consulate, is said to have close ties with Sivasankar.

Pinarayi Vijayan removed him as his principal secretary and also as the IT department secretary, sensing that he could be questioned by the Customs in the case.

An IAS officer in the government being questioned in a smuggling case would have meant a serious loss of face for the Vijayan dispensation.

The Opposition believes it has won the first round of the battle against the ruling front after the chief minister was forced to distance himself from Sivasankar and remove him from the posts he held.

The fate of the government will be decided by the details that may emerge in the case after Swapna's arrest and with the involvement of central agencies in the investigations into multiple aspects.

Although he has dismissed the allegations against the Chief Minister’s Office, Pinarayi Vijayan conducted the press conference to give details about the case only after expelling Sivasankar, the person responsible for the allegations.

The political controversy started raging after it emerged that Swapna was an employee of the IT department, which is under the chief minister, resulting in claims that Sivasankar was trying to shield her.

While Swapna was dismissed on Monday soon after her role in the smuggling case came to light, the pressure from the Opposition forced the chief minister to remove Sivasankar also the next day.

Since the central character in the case is a woman, the chief minister pointed out that there could be efforts to make it seem similar to the solar panel scam that broke out in 2013 and dogged the previous government.

The ties of Saritha S Nair, the accused in the solar panel scam, to two members of the then CM’s personal staff had resulted in allegations being raised against Oommen Chandy, Pinarayi's predecessor.

In the gold smuggling case, questions have been raised about Pinarayi Vijayan’s office due to the relationship between Swapna and Sivasankar, an IAS officer who was a departmental secretary and also the representative of the chief minister’s office.

Swapna is said to have managed the contracts of a marketing agency under the IT department. This meant that she was using a visiting card with the government’s seal.

While corruption was the main allegation in the solar scam, the gold smuggling case could invite charges of treason. With the local body and Assembly elections nearing, the Opposition is bent upon making the most of this case.

The chief minister decided to remove Sivasankar, whom he had defended when the Sprinklr controversy erupted, after consulting with the CPM leadership.

Before taking the decision, Vijayan must have also considered the fact that the IT department, with Sivasankar as principal secretary, has been embroiled in one controversy after another over the past few years.

By removing Sivasankar, Pinarayi also intended to send the message that he would not tolerate any misguided actions by any member of his office.

Meanwhile, the political arena in Kerala will be keenly watching the investigations into the gold smuggling case and all that emerges from the arrest of Swapna Suresh. The Opposition will pounce upon any details that could harm the ruling Left front.