Kerala MLA Anvar Claims CM Mamata Banerjee Asked Him to Resign

"I did not go to Kolkatta with the intent to resign and informed Mamata Banerjee the biggest problem in Kerala is man-animal conflict which is also a major issue in the country. So I requested her to see if the TMC should raise this issue in Parliament. The TMC suggested that If I cooperate with them, they will definitely raise this in Parliament for suitable changes in the Forest Act," said Anvar.

Soon after tendering resignation as legislator, estranged Independent-backed Left legislator P.V. Anvar on Monday said it was West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress supremo Mamata Banerjee who suggested that he should resign.

"I did not go to Kolkatta with the intent to resign and informed Mamata Banerjee the biggest problem in Kerala is man-animal conflict which is also a major issue in the country. So I requested her to see if the TMC should raise this issue in Parliament. The TMC suggested that If I cooperate with them, they will definitely raise this in Parliament for suitable changes in the Forest Act," said Anvar.

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"So I said I will act as coordinator of TMC in Kerala but she suggested that it's best that I submit my resignation. I spoke to my supporters back home and some said that I continue as a legislator but they gave me the choice to make the decision and on the 11th I decided to resign.". I send an e-mail to the Speaker, that I'm resigning as a legislator and on Monday will personally submit my resignation. The rules are very clear that the legislator should give in writing about resigning and I have done it," added Anvar and said he will not contest the Nilambur by-election.

In the best interest, I will recommend the name of the present Malappuram district Congress committee president V.S. Joy as the candidate. From today onwards, I will be supporting the Congress-led UDF. My only agenda is to bring down the Vijayan government," said Anvar.
" Now that I have resigned, I will now take my membership in TMC," said Anvar. He then said it was P. "Sasi, who is the political secretary to Chief Minister Vijayan, had been asking him to raise an allegation of Rs 150 crore against Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan in the floor of the Assembly." "It was Sasi, who said he would get the permission from Speaker and then allow me to bring this allegation before Satheesan,". I on behalf of the people of Kerala apologise to Satheesan for raising this allegation and I request him to please accept my apologies," said Anvar.

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He then claimed it was a CPI(M) section that urged him to file cases against the police and Sasi against CM Vijayan. "When I brought out the charges, those who instructed me did not surface. Let me not name who they are, said Anvar.

Earlier in the day, Anvar walked into the office of Speaker A.N. Shamseer and handed over his resignation letter. Incidentally, talks about his resignation as legislator first surfaced last week when he airdashed to Kolkatta and held a meeting with CM Mamata Banerjee and other TMC leaders.

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On Sunday, he went to the social media and wrote that on Monday, very important announcements would be given. Keeping his word, he drove out from the legislator's hostel here with MLA board of his car masked. After some minutes with the Speaker, he submitted his resignation and told the speaker that he had resigned.

His resignation was on the cards even after the Trinamool Congress in Kolkatta announced that Anvar had been appointed coordinator of TMC in Kerala. It was after that speculations had surfaced that the Vijayan-led Left would initiate steps to disqualify him as a legislator.

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Anvar deciding to take the fight to the enemy camp has now resigned forcing a by-election as the term to end for the present Assembly is more than a year.

Anvar first won as a Left-backed Independent legislator in 2016 from the Nilambur constituency in Malappuram and retained it in 2021. But after September last year, he turned the tables on CM Vijayan after turning his biggest critic and has been constantly attacking him.

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Things turned for the worse when last week Anvar was arrested and had to cool his heels in jail for a day for damaging a forest office. He led his supporters to protest following the death of a person in his constituency after a wild elephant trampled him to death. He got the bail the next day.

State CPI(M) secretary M.V. Govindan reacting to Anvar's news of meeting the Speaker, said there was no doubt that he was headed to the UDF as there is no other option for him. "His resignation is not going to have any impact on Kerala politics," said Govindan.

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