CPI(M) State secretary P. Shanmugam on Thursday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah were using the Enforcement Directorate (ED) as a tool for political vendetta against leaders opposed to them, and termed it a violation of democratic norms.

Addressing reporters in Erode on Thursday, he referred to the ED raid at the residence of former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and said protests against such “illegal actions” would continue.

He described the raids as politically motivated actions against Opposition parties. Referring to the State government’s crop loan waiver announcement, Mr. Shanmugam said TVK president C. Joseph Vijay should fulfil his election promise regarding the farm loan waiver. Stating that turning the Secretariat into a political centre was not appropriate, he said the TVK had clarified that no such activity had taken place.

Describing the resignation and induction of AIADMK MLAs into the TVK as “unhealthy politics”, he said it amounted to betraying the mandate of the people who had elected them.

On support for the by-election, he said the party’s State committee would take a decision.

Referring to the proposed Mekedatu project, Mr. Shanmugam said the Karnataka government could not lay “even a brick” without Tamil Nadu’s consent and warned that farmers from the State would launch protests if any attempt was made to proceed with the project.