THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPI leader and national general secretary of the National Federation of Indian Women Annie Raja has been elected to the CPI’s topmost body, the national secretariat. She was the party candidate in Wayanad in 2024 Lok Sabha election against Congress’ senior leader Rahul Gandhi. She has been elected to the post which became vacant after the demise of former state secretary Kanam Rajendran.
AITUC state general secretary and former minister K P Rajendran was elected to the national executive at the party national council meeting held on Saturday.
Meanwhile, a controversy has erupted in the state CPI, after Annie Raja was elected to the national secretariat. A section of party workers and leaders pointed out that instead of Annie Raja, the party should have considered the inclusion of senior leader Prakash Babu in the national secretariat. They also alleged that state secretary Binoy Viswam who proposed Annie Raja’s name ignored Prakash Babu as he was considered a contender for the post of state secretary after Kanam’s death.
Senior leaders like K E Ismail had criticised Binoy’s election as state secretary on the same night on which Kanam Rajendran’s body was cremated. In the state council held last week in Thiruvananthapuram, a section of leaders criticised the state leadership for not considering Prakash Babu for the Rajya Sabha berth allotted to the party.
However, state secretary Binoy Viswam told media in New Delhi that he was elected to the national secretariat representing the national centre. “Kanam Rajendran was elected to the national secretariat as state secretary. After I became the state secretary my representation in the secretariat is as party state head. And a post became vacant in the national centre. Annie Raja was elected to that vacancy,” he said.
Meanwhile, Prakash Babu downplayed the controversy and said that in the last party congress held in Vijayawada there was a discussion to invite Annie Raja to the national secretariat. “As a post became vacant now, she has been included. It is in no way connected with me. I will continue as a party member,” he said.