THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM will not initiate disciplinary action against its senior leader and former LDF convener E P Jayarajan over the controversy related to his alleged autobiography ‘Kattan Chayayum Parippuvadayum,’ for the time being.
The state leadership is of the view that any kind of action against EP at this stage would affect the party’s prospects in the upcoming bypoll in Palakkad. “The party is not in a mood to respond to any controversies that would affect the CPM and the government,” a senior CPM leader told TNIE. “For the moment, we will go by what E P Jayarajan has told the media about the publication of his alleged autobiography. He has filed a case with the police. We are closely monitoring the developments,” he said.
It is learnt that the leadership is not happy with the new developments. A section of leaders, who are of the view that EP is continuously putting the party and leadership on the defensive, are likely to bay for his blood.
The CPM would not be able to remain silent on the content of the book which has critical remarks against Pinarayi Vijayan and M V Govindan. The party is wary of the role of a journalist with CPM mouthpiece ‘Deshabhimani’ in the book row.
However, the new controversy has caught E P Jayarajan off guard at a time when he was becoming active on the organisational front. He had met Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on October 31 in Kozhikode and had also participated in the central committee meeting thereafter. EP was also active in the programmes and area conferences organised as part of CPM state conference.
“It’s learnt that EP was planning a comeback with a clean slate this time,” a CPM leader said. “However, the latest controversy has derailed his entire plan. Though he had distanced from the ‘autobiography’ issue, its contents are likely to stir a hornet’s nest. There is also a pertinent question as to how a publisher would publish a book in the name of EP without his consent,” the CPM leader said. The party is likely to look into the controversy after the bypoll results are out.
After EP was removed from the post of LDF convener, he was not seen much in public life. His unhappiness in not getting a ticket in the 2021 assembly election and the party’s decision to make M V Govindan its state secretary after Kodiyeri Balakrishnan’s demise had led him to keep away from active politics.
Jayarajan’s controversial meeting with BJP leader Prakash Javadekar had kicked up controversy ahead of the last LS elections. His admission on the day of LS election that he had indeed met Javadekar had cost him dearly in the end.