‘Missing’ Kerala MLA returns with ‘gold mine jobs’

Legislator says he is setting up a gold-mining project in Sierra Leone that will provide jobs to over 5,000 Keralites.

Nilambur MLA P V Anwar. (File photo)

After being away in Sierra Leone for nearly three months, CPI (M)-backed Independent legislator P V Anwar on Thursday returned to Kerala — there was a rousing reception at the Kozhikode airport by CPI(M) cadres.

Anwar, who is in the electoral fray for the second time from Malappuram’s Nilambur constituency and whose absence from his constituency has been widely discussed in political circles, released a video message a day before his arrival — promising jobs to Keralites through a Rs 20,000-crore gold mining project. He said that he has become a partner in the project in Sierra Leone and went on to narrate how stumbled upon the gold mine in the African nation.

Anwar said during a pilgrimage to Mecca in 2018, he befriended an African businessman, who often visited Saudi Arabia for the Islamic pilgrimage and who, the legislator claimed, suggested the possibility of the project spread over 50,000 acres of land in Sierra Leone. “After I returned to India, he was constantly in touch with me. Using my relations in Sri Lanka, I deputed a team for surveying the forest land.. The survey identified gold deposit.”

“The project has got the sanction from the mining department of that country… would offer jobs for 25,000 people. Of them, 6,000 would be skilled ones. This would be a great opportunity for Kerala people,” he said.

Shaju Philip

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More