ALAPPUZHA: Always known for his open stand against party’s official faction, Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan on Wednesday launched a social organisation formed by a group of expelled members of CPM at Thuravoor even as CPM MLA A M Ariff and other party workers boycotted the function.
The CPM district committee decided to boycott the launch of Social Justice for Palliative Care and Anticorruption Movement (SPAM) set up by the former party members who were expelled for alleged anti-party activities.
A similar programme hosted by a few expelled CPM members at Mannar had become controversial a few weeks ago when VS and his loyalists turned up for the event. Later CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan arranged a public function at Mannar to sort out the differences within the party.
SPAM is being spearheaded by L Ouseph (former Thuravoor panchayat president) and C Rajappan (former Chandiroor local committee secretary). These men are now CPI members. So CPI district secretary P Thilothaman MLA and other local leaders of the party attended the function. The CPI directed its members of the area to ensure maximum participation for the programme.
However, denying the media reports, CPM district secretary Saji Cherian said the party has not boycotted the function of SPAM and the news in this connection was created by media.