THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Rift within CPM became wide open after CPM state committee member P Jayarajan strayed away from party line and reiterated that the chairperson of LDF-ruled Anthoor Municipality, P K Shyamala, erred in her duty that led to the suicide of NRI businessman Sajan Parayil.
He said the party should stop living in denial and accept the fact that there were lapses on the part of Shyamala when it came to processing Sajan's application to obtain permission for construction. Jayarajan was speaking to Samakalika Malayalam Vaarika, a sister publication of TNIE.
The former secretary of CPM in Kannur had taken a public stand against Shyamala, who is a member of district committee, at an event held to explain the stand of the party. But the state committee was critical of his open stand and rejected it. Jayarajan will reiterate his opinion when the district committee is going to report the decision of state committee when it convenes on June 29.
The public criticism against Shyamala, who is wife of senior party leader M V Govindan, has not gone down well with the party leadership. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and party state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan were among those who criticised Jayarajan and Anthoor issue which brought out the rift among party leaders in Kannur.
Sajan, a 49-year-old businessman, allegedly committed suicide after municipal permits for the functioning of the multi-crore convention centre were denied, on June 18. He had approached Jayarajan, who was then the district secretary of CPM, to intervene in the issue.