LJD heading for split, rebel faction to hold meet on Friday

Minor development, says party state prez M V Shreyams Kumar
Loktantrik Janata Dal MP MV Shreyams Kumar (Photo | Twitter)
Loktantrik Janata Dal MP MV Shreyams Kumar (Photo | Twitter)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With both the official and rebel factions sticking religiously to their positions, Left constituent Loktantrik Janata Dal is all set for a split. The rebel faction led by Sheikh P Harris and V Surendran Pillai will convene a state council meeting of leaders supporting them to take a final call. However state president M V Shreyams Kumar termed it a minor development, stating that only a few leaders are leaving the party which cannot be termed as a split. 

The rebel faction has already made it clear that it won’t accept disciplinary action taken against them by party president Shreyams Kumar. “We have formed a 15-member committee on November 17. The committee will hold an online meeting at 3pm on Friday to decide on the future course of action. As of now there seems no other way in front of us other than a split. Mediation is also not working since the other faction is not ready to relent,” said Surendran Pillai. 

The rebel faction leaders had already met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, LDF convener A Vijayaraghavan, CPM leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran and apprised them about the current situation in LJD. The dissident leaders have claimed that their faction should be treated as the real LJD. Both the factions are keen on continuing with the Left front. 

The rebel leaders had given an ultimatum to Shreyams Kumar to resign from the post of party president. However the official faction, in return, served show-cause notices to the rebels. With the deadline for filing an explanation ending on Tuesday, the official faction on Wednesday took disciplinary action against the rebel leaders. While Sheikh P Harris was removed from the post of party general secretary,  Surendran Pillai was suspended from the party. Two secretaries — Rajesh Prem and Ankathil Ajayakumar— were also removed from their post.  Surendran Pillai has already rejected the disciplinary action against him. He is of the view that since he was appointed by party national president Sarad Yadav, Shreyams Kumar cannot take any action against him.

Both factions claim the support of senior leaders Varghese George and the party’s lone MLA K P Mohanan. The official faction said a state executive meeting on December 4 in Ernakulam will take a call on action against the dissidents. 

“The rebel faction has the support of two district presidents — Alappuzha and Malappuram. Of the 65 state committee members, 57 are with us. The action by rebel leaders has been rejected by the national leadership,” said sources with the official faction. 

Speaking to TNIE, Shreyams Kumar rejected reports of a split in the party. “How can we call it a split? Only two leaders, one of them joined the party only a couple of years ago, are leaving the party. They don’t have support of party cadre,” he said.   He added that LJD central leadership has taken note of the developments and directed to take disciplinary action.

“The party would advise appropriate disciplinary action as mandated by the party constitution considering the best interests of party workers in Kerala. We hope this restores normalcy, discipline and order within the party,” said a statement from LJD general secretary Javed Raza. 

Disciplinary action
The rebel leaders had given an ultimatum to Shreyams Kumar to resign from the post of party president. However the official faction, in return, served show-cause notices to the rebels. With the deadline for filing an explanation ending on Tuesday, the official faction on Wednesday took disciplinary action against the rebel leaders

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