The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) found itself on the defensive ahead of the local body elections with former party spokesperson M.S. Kumar holding the party leadership responsible for the death by suicide of Thiruvananthapuram Corporation councillor K. Anilkumar in September this year, following a financial crisis at a cooperative society he had headed.
In a Facebook post on Saturday, Mr. Kumar said he was also facing mental stress similar to what Mr. Anilkumar might have experienced during his last days due to his involvement in another cooperative society. The Cooperation department had last year ordered an inquiry into the alleged irregularities at the Thiruvithamcore Cooperative Society (No. T-1530), formerly headed by Mr. Kumar. Depositors had also filed complaints with the police.
“ As many as 70% of the people who have taken loans from the society that I am part of are my party members and 90% of those who have not repaid are also party members. There are ordinary workers and State office-bearers). There are also leaders from other parties who are close to Central leaders. I have decided to reveal all their names and the amount they have to pay as I am tired of asking them to repay. The next post will reveal these names,” said Mr. Kumar in the post.
In a remark which appears to be directed at the BJP leaders in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, he says that the people need to see the real face of those who are preparing to take over the governance of the city. “At least in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, the topic that will be discussed in the run-up to the election will be the suicide of Mr. Anilkumar and the reasons that led to it. He was supposed to scale heights in politics, but it was cut short because he became part of a cooperative society,” said Mr. Kumar.
‘False claims’
He said that the controversies surrounding various cooperative societies in Kerala had prevented investments from coming in. “Some people, out of personal enmity, spread false claims against our society and some media outlets published it without understanding the facts. Those who took loans have stopped repaying. Investors want to withdraw their investments. Those who were expected to stand by us are also staying away,” he said.
As per a suicide note written by Anilkumar, the BJP-controlled Valiyasala Farm Tour Society, of which he was a part, had been facing a crisis with large amounts of money to be recovered. He said in the letter that the society has helped “our people” also and that there had been a delay in their repayment of dues. This led to allegations by the CPI(M) that the councillor is pointing fingers at his own party.
Published – November 01, 2025 09:23 pm IST
