THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Rebellion in the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) state unit reached a flashpoint on Wednesday when a group of senior leaders demanded the immediate resignation of state president and MP M V Sreyams Kumar. Led by general secretary Sheikh P Harris and former minister V Surendran Pillai, rebel leaders met here and set November 20 as a deadline for the state president to quit.
“We have already raised our complaints in the party forum. We met national president Sharad Yadav and apprised him of developments here. We protest the murder of democracy in the organization. The president is making arbitrary appointments and taking arbitrary decisions. He acted against party’s collective opinion in his discussions with LDF leadership on sharing of assembly seats,” alleged Sheikh P Harris.
Responding to allegations Sreyams Kumar said he wouldn’t quit and the state committee meeting scheduled for November 20 will discuss all issues. He described Wednesday’s meeting by rebels as a parallel activity in which only a few leaders attended. He denied allegations of insisting on contesting from Kalpetta seat and said he had contested as demanded unanimously by the party committee. According to sources LJD national leadership is unlikely to disown Sreyams as he is the party’s lone MP in Rajya Sabha.
Rebel leaders claimed support from national general secretary Varghese George and party’s lone MLA K P Mohanan. Both of them didn’t attend the meeting. “Varghese George didn’t attend as he is a national office-bearer. Mohanan is not attending meetings of both groups. But, he conveyed all support to us,” said Surendran Pillai. According to Sheikh, they have the support of seven district presidents and four of them attended the meeting.
Foreseeing a split in the party, Sheikh P Harris and Surendran Pillai also started discussion with leaders of CPM, CPI and other constituent parties. They demanded recognition of their faction as the official LJD. The meeting authorised Harris and Pillai to apprise LDF constituents about the developments.