Amid unrest within, CPM district meet in Koyilandy

KOZHIKODE: A day ahead of the CPM Kozhikode district conference here, party leaders were trying to quell the voices of  dissent that have created headache to the leadership at several places.

Many groups in the party are unhappy with the way district secretary P. Mohanan is conducting the show.  Former district secretary T.P. Ramakrishnan, now minister for labour and excise, had steered the party clear through the  tumultuous days of post-TP Chandrasekharan murder.

The arrest of nine CPM workers by the CBI the other day in the ‘Payyoli Manoj murder’ has put the party in a fix.  The CPM workers who were arrested earlier in the case had alleged  that they were trapped  as they were branded as ‘VS faction’ members.  

The  CPM is worried over the intraparty squabbles in  Kannur district,  its  citadel where it is struggling to complete the local-area committee meetings. 

The local committee meeting at Thalassery was abandoned midway due to open protest against the official faction. Party state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan  had to intervene  to complete the procedures of area committee meeting. Mr  C.O.T. Nazeer, former CPM area committee member and municipal councillor, who had been expelled from the party recently, is haunting the CPM.

However, the  party is determined to ensure the smooth conduct of  the district conference at Koyilandy.  Mr  P. Mohanan and Mr T.P. Ramakrishnan are camping at Koyilandy attending programmes and streamlining strategies.  Asked about the protest against the arrest of innocent party members, Mr Mohanan  said that  they  were innocent. The party will  ensure the success of  the district conference and none can discourage the partymen,” he said.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who will inaugurate the three-day conference on Tuesday, would stay back to avoid any voices of dissent  during the meet, it is learnt.