Trouble for Pinarayi Vijayan; Congress to move 'no confidence' over Kerala gold smuggling

The Congress party on Friday moved a no-confidence motion against the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government in Kerala in the backdrop of the Gold Smuggling case. In the letter addressed to the Secretary of the Kerala Legislative Assembly, Congress leader V. D. Satheesan read that the Congress-led UDF expresses 'no confidence' in the CPI(M) led government in the state adding that they would want to move a resolution against the Pinarayi Government in the Kerala assembly. 

This comes shortly after the Congress-led UDF demanded the resignation of the Chief Minister after the role of top bureaucrats and government officials including the ex-principal Secretary was exposed in the Kerala Gold smuggling case. 

"As per rule 63 of the Kerala Legislative Assembly, I request permission to move the undermentioned resolution to be presented in the assembly. We express 'no confidence' in the government led by Pinarayi Vijayan," read the letter by the Congress party. 

Read: Kerala Gold Smuggling: Ex-Principal Secretary To CM, Sivasankar Suspended Pending Inquiry

Kerala Govt under scanner over Gold Smuggling case 

On Thursday, the CPI (M) in one of its editorials had alleged that the gold smuggling case in Kerala was being used by the BJP and the Congress-led UDF to destabilise the LDF government in the state. The Pinarayi Vijayan government was brought under the scanner after customs officials seized 30 kg of gold worth Rs. 15 crore at the Thiruvananthapuram Airport from a diplomatic cargo addressed to a person in the UAE Consulate on July 5.

The case took a political turn after photos of primary accused Swapna Suresh with Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan surfaced. It was alleged that Swapna Suresh, who worked in the state's IT Department had links with the CM after photos of them at multiple parties surfaced from the time when she was working at the UAE Consulate.

Shortly after this, the role of Principal Secretary M Sivasankar was brought to light after records revealed that he was allegedly in contact with Suresh and several other accused in the case. As of the latest reports, the Kerala Government has suspended Sivasankar and investigation is ongoing. There is also a purported terror angle in the case, which was made public by the NIA in the Kerala High Court.

Read: Gold Smuggling Case In Kerala Being Used To Destabilize State Govt: CPI(M)