Legal Challenges Mount for Former Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan as Supreme Court Hearing Approaches

New Delhi, October 16 (Daily Kiran) : Former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is gearing up for a crucial legal battle as he heads to the Supreme Court, following a setback from the Kerala High Court in the CMRL-Exlogic case. The eyes of the political landscape are fixed on this development, which could have significant implications not only for Vijayan but also for the Communist Party of India (Marxist), which is struggling to recover from its most significant electoral defeat.

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau (VACB) are investigating separate allegations against Vijayan, who is the primary accused in a corruption case linked to his daughter, T. Veena, and her now-defunct IT firm, Exlogic. Additionally, P.A. Mohammed Riaz, a former minister and CPI(M) legislator, and Vijayan’s son-in-law, is also implicated in a hawala transaction case.

Despite the mounting pressure, CPI(M) leadership has shown solidarity with Vijayan, refusing to accept his resignation from the position of Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly. This decision raises questions about the party’s stance on political ethics, especially as it has demanded accountability from leaders of other parties facing corruption allegations.

This controversy echoes past defenses made by former CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat during the SNC-Lavalin case, where he argued that Vijayan did not need to resign from his party position as he held no government office at that time.

The timing of this legal challenge is particularly critical as the party’s district committees are reviewing the reasons behind its electoral loss in April 2026. The Left Democratic Front saw its seats drop from 99 to just 35, while the Congress-led United Democratic Front secured 102 seats, leaving the BJP with 3.

The unfolding events will likely have lasting effects on both Vijayan and the political landscape in Kerala.