THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: During the CPI state council meeting on Wednesday, several members urged state secretary Kanam Rajendran to reflect on his role in the factionalism within the party. Kanam came under heavy attack from his comrades,some of whom alleged that once a corrective force in the party, he has turned soft and was seen as cozy to certain factions.
However, in response to the discussion, Kanam stated that he was not even considered for the post of state secretary or Rajya Sabha member, despite having the support of the majority. Former Wayanad district secretary Vijayan Cherukara, P K Krishnan from Kottayam, Mundapalli Thomas from Pathanamthitta, and Kottayam district secretary V B Binu severely criticized Kanam, alleging that the root of the factionalism is within the party’s centre.
“Kanam is surrounded by leaders with vested interests”, alleged a leader at the council meeting. Speakers at the council meeting pointed out that earlier V S Sunil Kumar was excluded from the state executive earlier because of his additional charge as a minister,but now the four ministers are included in the executive.
The party secretary made PS Supal MLA the Kollam district secretary,violating the decision that MLAs should not be district secretaries. Some leaders who were MLAs or heading boards or state corporations were again given additional posts in government establishments, leaders alleged. Kanam Rajendran reminded the council that he stayed away from the contest for the post of state secretary at the Kottayam state conference.
“I stayed away only to avoid a contest for the post of secretary. I had the support of the majority of representatives.Once again after the demise of C K Chandrappan, I had the majority support. However the central leadership suggested C Divakaran’s name for the post”, he said. Kanam mentioned that he was also the council’s choice for the Rajyasabha, but the then-state secretary suggested M P Achutan for the post, and he backed off.
In the next state executive meeting, the council has decided to address the factionalism in the Ernakulam district, as per the evaluation report submitted by the district leadership. The report alleges that factionalism was evident in the lower committees and that the then-district leadership played a role in it. Interestingly, the Kanam faction captured Ernakulam, which was once a stronghold of the K E Ismail group, in the latest district conference through an election.