Ravada Chandrasekhar is favoured by Modi, his appointment as new DGP is part of BJP-CPM deal: KC Venugopal

KANNUR: AICC General Secretary and MP K.C. Venugopal has levelled serious allegations against the state government over the appointment of the new DGP in Kerala. He claimed that the Pinarayi Vijayan-led government deliberately excluded Nitin Agrawal, who was the top candidate on the DGP list, as he was not favoured by the Modi government. According to Venugopal, Ravada Chandrasekhar was appointed as the DGP as part of a political compromise between the state and the central government.

"Both Nitin Agrawal and Yogesh Gupta, who were also on the shortlist for the DGP post, are highly competent officers. However, Agrawal is disliked by Prime Minister Modi and the central government, which is why he was removed from the post of BSF Director General. The Kerala government has also ignored him because of the same disapproval. I personally know Nitin Agrawal and he is an honest officer. However, the Pinarayi government has no need for such officers," Venugopal said.

He further claimed that the newly appointed DGP, Ravada Chandrasekhar, is someone favoured by the Prime Minister. Highlighting Chandrasekhar’s previous roles as Special Director of the Intelligence Bureau and head of the Prime Minister’s security, Venugopal alleged that his selection as Kerala's police chief signifies a second round of political compromise between the BJP and the CPM-led state government.

Venugopal further accused the Chief Minister of betraying the martyrs of Koothuparamba to protect his own interests. “I have no personal objection to the new DGP, but the allegations that the CPM had previously raised against him are still fresh in the public’s memory,” he said. He noted that the CPM had convinced the families of the Koothuparamba victims that the allegations were true. “Now, their silence and change of stance raise questions. The appointment of the current DGP reveals murky details if examined closely,” he said.

He added that CPM leader P. Jayarajan's reaction was natural, but other party leaders are remaining silent out of fear. Venugopal urged the CPM to show the courage to admit that the allegations it had made earlier against Ravada Chandrasekhar regarding the Koothuparamba firing were wrong.