Padmakumar’s arrest renders the government vulnerable to criticism from the Congress and the BJP.

The arrest of former TDB president and Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] leader A. Padmkaumar, in the Sabarimala gold theft case, has seemingly rendered the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) government vulnerable to arguably withering criticism from Opposition parties.

The “fall” from public favour of Mr. Padmakumar, a former MLA who headed the TDB during the restive days of the Save Sabarimala campaign, has provided material for the Congress and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to accuse the government of misplacing the trust of Ayyappa devotees.

Notably, the Congress and the BJP have sought to push the arrest of Mr. Padmakumar and, earlier, former Devaswom Commissioner N. Vasu, both CPI(M)’s political appointees, to the top of their election rhetoric in the spirited campaigning for the local body polls in December.

Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan said the responsibility for the crime did not stop with Mr. Padmakumar or Mr. Vasu.

Mr. Satheesan stated that the SIT had only uncovered the tip of the iceberg. “The government concealed the 2019 pilferage for six years to protect CPI(M) leaders, including two successive Devaswom Ministers. A long line-up of CPI(M) leaders and their accomplices are headed for prison for betraying Ayyappa devotees. Unnikrishnan Potti, the main accused in the case, is merely a front for the CPI(M) overlords. The TDB’s disposition in 2025 had openly dismissed cautionary red flags raised by the TDB vigilance wing and contracted Mr. Potti to refurbish the panels again,” he added. 

Senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala and All India Congress Committee general secretary (Organisation) K.C. Venugopal blamed Devaswom Minister V.N. Vasavan and his predecessor Kadakampally Surendran for the fiasco.

BJP State president Rajeev Chandrasekhar said the pilferage of temple treasures had the tacit connivance of the State’s top political executive.

Mr. Vasavan said any comment on the ongoing investigation was sub judice and a violation of the High Court’s gag order. Mr. Surendran said the government had no direct bearing on the TDB, an independent entity with statutory powers. He said he was the victim of a vilification campaign driven by the Congress and the BJP.

CPI(M) State Secretary M.V. Govindan said an arrest or indictment does not imply guilt. He said the government would not protect any person found guilty through the due process of law. He blamed the media for jumping the gun and prejudicing the probe by assigning guilt prematurely.