THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran fired a salvo at party MLA Eldho Abraham, the factional feud that surfaced has only worsened. Though Kanam was in Kochi on Friday, he stayed away from the party’s district executive meeting, a move that subsequently drew severe criticism. As if cashing in on the opportunity, the CPM state leadership has now come out in support of Kanam.
Adding fuel to the fire, CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said an attempt was being made to portray Kanam in a bad light for speaking out the truth about the police lathicharge. Speaking to media persons here, Kodiyeri said, “It’s because he didn’t dance to the tune of the media. Had he spoken against the CPM, it would have been celebrated,” he said. Both the CPM and the CPI still maintain good relations, he added.
Responding to media queries, Kodiyeri said an investigation was currently on. Based on that, the government would take appropriate action, he said. “The government has nothing to hide from the people. The CPM too will criticise the police, when needed. As the CPI is also a responsible political party, its cadre are sure to understand facts. Beating up CPI activists is akin to assaulting CPM cadre,” Kodiyeri said.
The CPI state secretary’s studied silence on the lathi-charge issue had already invited criticism from within the party. However, it was his provocative statement on Thursday that his party MLA and district secretary were the ones who went up to the police and got beaten up that further angered the party’s Ernakulam unit.
Senior leader and former Thrissur MP C N Jayadevan stated that there was no reason for CPI leaders to get beaten up while being in power. A couple of other leaders and district leadership too expressed dismay over Kanam’s controversial remarks.
Rising factional feud
Though Kanam was in Kochi on Friday, he stayed away from the party’s district executive meeting, a move that subsequently drew severe criticism. As if cashing in on the opportunity, the CPM state leadership has now come out in support of Kanam
Poster against Kanam found on CPI office wall
Alappuzha: A poster against CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran was found on the compound wall of the CPI district office, T V memorial building, here on Friday. On it was written ‘Remove Kanam and rescue CPI. Comrade Eldho MLA, Comrade Raju sindabad - Thiruthal vadikal, CPI Ambalappuzha’. The CPI district leaders later removed it. CPI district secretary T J Anjalose said the party had lodged a complaint with the Chief Minister and the district police demanding an investigation into it. “The incident is a planned one because similar posters were found on the compound walls of some news channels also and the channels started scrolling news from early morning itself. We are suspecting a conspiracy behind the poster because nobody from the party would have done that,” he said.