Governor-CM tussle set to intensify in Kerala
The governor insisted that the anti-national activity of the chief minister was a serious matter and that he would report it to the President.
Responding to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s statement in the Assembly on Tuesday that he never met anyone mentioned in the Enforcement Directorate’s remand report, Swapna Suresh, prime accused in the gold smuggling case, on Wednesday asked whether Chief Minister Vijayan is not ashamed to come to the Assembly and tell a lie that he does not know me and has not seen me.
Speaking to a Malayalam news channel, Swapna said she has spoken to the Chief Minister for hours alone and also along with Shivsankar, the Chief Minister’s then Principal Private Secretary. Swapna also said that she had travelled to different countries for the business purposes of the Chief Minister’s family.
Swapna also challenged whether the Chief Minister has the courage to release the CCTV footage of Cliff House to prove that he has not met her. “The Chief Minister should come with proof that he didn’t meet me, in stead making a statement in the House,” she said
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She said the Chief Minister knew that Sivasankar tried to appoint her in the department of Non Resident Keralites Affairs (NORKA), before she was appointed at the Space Park.
Meanwhile, more WhatsApp chats between Sivasankar and Swapna have surfaced. In one such chat,Sivasankar says that NORKA ‘s investment company wants someone with an MBA degree and “I suggested your name and everyone agreed.” . Shivashankar also assures that he will meet the Chief Minister and present this matter. In another chat Sivasankar says that CM Ravindran, Chief Minister’s Additional Private Secretary, was shocked to hear about Swapna’s resignation from the UAE Consulate
Another chat shows Swapna’s concern about the new job- whether Yousafali will oppose it and Shivashankar’s reply that the chief minister is not afraid of Yousafali.
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