KOCHI: Revealing the differences within the CPI Ernakulam district committee in the controversial DIG office march, a faction of the committee has shot off a letter to CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran accusing district secretary P Raju of perpetrating the conflict to gain media attention.
The letter alleged Raju ignored CPI’s presence in the government while organising the march. “The district secretary forgot the party was still a part of the government. He tried to become a hero by grabbing media attention through conflict at the protest. With this in mind, Raju changed the protest venue instead of going to the CI’s office or Aluva Rural SP’s office,” the letter said.
It said Raju’s close aides asked several leaders to stay away from the mainstay of the protest before the lathicharge. “Unaware of the conspiracy, MLA Eldho Abraham tried to defend the workers and ended up being injured,” it said.
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It said following the protest, Raju convened a joint meeting of mandalam secretaries and executive members instead of a district committee meeting. “The comments of many mandalam secretaries who spoke against the state secretary were leaked to the media. The meeting was aimed at maligning the state secretary’s image,” said the letter.
‘No idea about letter’
P Raju said he had no idea about the letter. “The state executive meet didn’t mention anything about the letter. If I wanted to gain media attention, I could have chosen several other ways,” he said.
Palarivattom flyover
The letter also alleged a conspiracy on the decision to withdraw from the LDF’s 23-day-long protest at Palarivattom flyover.“Raju didn’t seek the opinion of any party branch on the decision which indirectly helped the UDF and led people to believe the party had supported the culprits,” it said.