Thiruvananthapuram: Kannur strongman E P Jayarajan has courted many controversies during his political life spanning over four decades.
From being the first all India president of CPM led DYFI in 1980 to becoming one of the most controversial leaders of the party, Jayarajan has been in news for all the wrong reasons.
Known as the right hand and conscience keeper of Pinarayi Vijayan, he had always been in the forefront defending him especially when SNC Lavalin allegations came up.
As Kannur district secretary Jayarajan constructed a palatial house Pappinniserri using mechanised laterite bricks. It led to a huge controversy since the CITU unions in Kannur and Kasargod were agitating against mechanised laterite stones which had snatched the livelihood of manual workers.
He faced allegations that one of his close confidantes had taken money from Liz group owner to settle cases. Despite serious allegations, he managed to escape disciplinary action.
In another instance, Jayarajan took bonds worth '2 cores from lottery baron Santiago Martin for party mouthpiece Deshabhimani. The bonds were taken at a time when V S Achuthanandan had declared a war against lotteries of other states. Later party was forced to remove him from Deshabhimani general manager's post. He returned to the post soon after and party also claimed '2 crore had been returned to Santiago Martin.
There were allegations against him related to financial irregularities in the conduct of Nayanar memorial football tournament. Jayarajan also courted controversy during CPM plenum in Palakkad when Deshabhimani published an advertisement of controversial businessman V M Radhakrishnan who was facing corruption cases. It was a huge embarrassment for the party since the plenum had given a call to leaders to keep off people facing serious allegations.
Then came controversy regarding Vismay Water Theme Park in an area which was facing acute shortage of water. The mangrove park at Valapattanam had also led to major row. However, it could not take off because of court intervention. Jayarajan was the architect of these two projects.
