ALAPPUZHA: Controversial former CPM leader T K Palani, 84, died due to cancer at a private hospital in Cherthala near here on Sunday. At the height of factionalism in the CPM, he was the secretary of LDF election committee constituted to campaign for former Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan in Mararikulam in 1996.
After Achuthanandan lost, Palani and C K Bhaskaran, former Muhamma panchayat president, were demoted by the party to the branch committees from area committee. The CPM also faced defeat in the 1999 Lok Sabha polls. After that the CPM expelled Palani for allegedly working against LDF candidate C S Sujatha. However, 10 years later, Palani and Bhaskaran were reinstated to the area committee in 2008.
Palani was embroiled in another controversy when his statements to the Crime Branch led to the arrest of CPM members in the P Krishna Pillai memorial torching case. After the incident, he was not seen in active party politics. In January, he joined the CPI.Palani leaves behind his wife Sukumari, sons Ajithlal, Prabhashlal, Jayalal and daughter Bindu. The funeral will be held on Monday.