CM Pinarayi Vijayan Vs Top Cop P.Vijayan: A Battle In Offing In Kerala

P.Vijayan felt the heat on him, when on April 26, he was first removed from the key post of Head of the Anti-Terror Squad and also the chief of the Kerala Books and Publications Society.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: On the second anniversary of the Pinarayi Vijayan government, a battle royal is on the cards between Vijayan and IG P.Vijayan, whose suspension came on Thursday night. P.Vijayan rose from working as a labourer when he was a student to cracking the Civil Services examination, and since then, through his hard work, became a hugely popular police official as his efforts even won him accolades from Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The senior official was listed as one of the 100 people to take part in the 100th episode of Modi`s flag ship programme Mann Ki Baat, but the state government failed to give him permission to take part, hence he could not go. P.Vijayan felt the heat on him, when on April 26, he was first removed from the key post of Head of the Anti-Terror Squad and also the chief of the Kerala Books and Publications Society.

At that time none had a clue about what happened, but things became very clear when he was suspended from service and the charge against him was that he allegedly leaked crucial information to the media when Delhi resident Shahrukh Saifi, the accused in the Kozhikode train fire case was brought from Maharashtra to Kerala last month. Incidentally, quick to latch on to this was Leader of Opposition V.D.Satheesan who pointed out that the suspension effect is due to factional feud that has broken out in the Police headquarters.

With Pinarayi Vijayan, a person known for the way he handles his adversaries, just as he did to Jacob Thomas, the then senior most police official who in 2016 was Vijayan`s closest aide, when cases against him were raked up and he was suspended and finally when he had to be reinstated, he was send to head one of the worst performing state undertaking and retired from service from there.

Similarly, according to sources, the coming days could see a few cases being slapped on P.Vijayan and if it happens then it could be a while before he is able to get back into service. Meanwhile speculations have also started doing the rounds that the reason why Modi handpicked P.Vijayan as one of the 100 people is the BJP is interested to field him in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections from Kozhikode.

Thomas incidentally was fielded as the BJP candidate from Iranjalakuda assembly constituency for the 2021 assembly polls and finished third with around 33,000 votes. So all eyes are on the upright police official if he will be charged with cases and if that happens, then it could well be the start of an interesting battle with Chief Minister Vijayan, who is facing numerous corruption allegations and the way it is going to unfold.