THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Inquiry commission appointed by the CPI state unit to look into the drubbing received by the party candidate in the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency has reported that the party had erred in the selection of candidate in Thiruvananthapuram.
The commission comprising P K Krishnan, P Prasad, Thilothaman MLA which conducted the probe, has reportedly stated that some undesirable dealings had taken place with regard to the selection of candidature of Dr Bennet Abraham for the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency. The CPI leadership had denied this ever since the allegations started doing the rounds in political circles. It is learnt that the report is critical of CPI legislature party leader C Divakaran, CPI district secretary Venjarammoodu Sasi and CPI state executive member P Ramachandran Nair and they could face the music. The inquiry commission has reportedly asked for strong disciplinary action against these leaders.
Even during the time of the selection of candidates for the Lok Sabha elections there had been reports that CPI had made the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabaha seat a ‘payment’ seat implying that money had changed hands to allot the seat for a person who has not been a member of the party. There were also reports that CPM leadership had thrust the candidature of Dr Bennet Abraham on the CPI as Bennet was a close associate of the CPM. It was under CPM’s recommendation that he got selected to the PSC member’s post. Even before the CPI state council finalsed the name of candidates, CPI leader A B Bardhan had announced that Thiruvananthapuram will get a consensus candidate much the embarrassment of the state leadership. However, later the state leadership was also strongly justifying the candidature of Bennet. The CPI Thiruvananthapuram district committee had objected to the candidature of Bennet. But the insistence of some leaders prevailed upon the general sentiment of the party rank and file.
However, the voters gave a befitting reply to the politically immoral decision of certain leaders. The state secretariat is known to have accepted the report and the same would be presented at the state executive meeting to be held on Thursday.
The state secretariat also discussed the agenda of the meetings to be held in the coming three days. It has also discussed the schedule of the party conferences set to start from September.