THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The ongoing crisis in the CPI following the ‘cashfor- seat’ allegations took a new turn on Sunday with party national general secretary S Sudhakar Reddy taking exception to the state leadership’s disciplinary action against C Divakaran, a national executive member.
Reddy told reporters in New Delhi that in normal circumstances, the party’s central leadership is vested with powers to take consequential action against national executive members.
“We will examine the action of the state council. Disciplinary action against the leaders were not based on any monetary allegations,” he said.
Reddy’s comments have opened a Pandora’s box with the party’s state and central leaders attempting to justify their stands. A national leader, who did not want to be named, said the issue would be raised at the executive meeting scheduled for Monday. “We oppose the way it was executed, not the action. The state council could have made a recommendation to the central leadership,” he said.
Members of the state council said they had the powers as Divakaran was selected to the national executive by the state council. However, national leaders claimed that Divakaran was the choice of the party Congress. Meanwhile, party state assistant secretary Prakash Babu took charge as the new district secretary at the CPI district executive meeting here. The state council’s disciplinary action against the three leaders was reported at the meeting.