Thiruvananthapuram: The CPM has strongly criticised the Enforcement Directorate (ED) raid at the residence of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, labelling it a blatant example of the Central Government weaponising investigative agencies for political vendetta against Opposition figures.

In an official statement released on X, the CPM accused the BJP-led Union government of deploying the ED, CBI and Income Tax Department to intimidate political opponents and stifle democratic dissent.

"The ED raid on the residence of former Kerala Chief Minister and CPM PB member comrade Pinarayi Vijayan is yet another stark example of how central agencies are being weaponised for political vendetta," the party posted. "Leaders who consistently challenge the BJP-led Union government and refuse to submit to Sangh Parivar politics are being targeted through intimidation, media trials and selective investigations. When political opponents cannot be defeated democratically, the BJP resorts to ED, CBI and Income Tax raids to harass and silence dissent."

The CPM also turned its focus on the ruling Congress-led UDF government in Kerala, questioning its silence on the matter and suggesting potential complicity. The party argued that the silence raises serious concerns about whether the UDF is enabling a political witch-hunt for its own convenience, rather than defending federalism and democratic mandates against central overreach.

Escalating the political rhetoric, CPM leader K K Ragesh characterised the ED action as a direct attempt by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to weaken the Left. He also launched a sharp personal attack on Leader of the Opposition V D Satheesan, comparing his political alignment to that of V D Savarkar and alleging a covert alliance with the BJP and RSS.

Echoing these views, senior party leader P Jayarajan alleged that the raid was a coordinated effort between the BJP and the Congress. He claimed the action is part of a broader strategy to diminish the Left’s influence in Kerala, drawing parallels to past political shifts in West Bengal and Tripura.

The ED operations commenced early on Wednesday across 10 locations in Kerala, including Vijayan's residence, in connection with the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) financial transactions case. The crackdown followed a major legal development on Tuesday, where the Kerala High Court declined to quash the ED's ongoing investigation into the controversial case.

ANI