Kannur: The three-day district conference of the CPM Kannur unit started here on Saturday amidst the raging controversy over the financial dealings of Binoy Kodiyeri, son of CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. According to indications, Mr P. Jayarajan, district secretary, is likely to step down from the post.
To snuff out any possible rebellion and to steer the discussions in the right course, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will participate in the conference on all the three days.
Mr Vijayan, who is also politburo member, who inaugurated the conference, called for supporting China as the communist country was fighting alone the US attempts to build up a colonial political scenario globally. "I am not going into the details of the issue as the CPM party congress held in Kozhikode earlier had discussed it and taken a political stand," he said.
"On the economic front, China is making giant strides," he said and added that out of the global economic growth, 30 percent is Chinese contribution. The country had already achieved its targeted 6-7 percent GDP growth, he said. He also showered praise on the Cuban leadership for improving the living conditions of the people despite the US embargo.
The representatives' meeting will be held at Nayanar Academy at Payyambalam. As many as 47 district committee members and 410 delegates are participating in the conference.
The flag brought from the Karivellur martyrs' column in a rally was hoisted at the venue. Allied torch-bearing rallies reached the venue from 162 martyrs' columns in the district. The meeting would conclude on January 29. JAYARAJAN WAITING AND WATCHING:
Mr P. Jayarajan has been on a 'wait and see' mode since the state leadership had warned him over the 'star' status conferred on him by his followers. Starting from the murder of RMP leader T.P. Chandrasekharan, the CPM state leadership has been trying to rein him in in Kannur. After the LDF came to power, the state committee had decided to keep restraint in Kannur to reduce political tensions.
The appointment of Mr Sanjai Kumar Gurudin, a known law and order strategist, as police chief in Kannur was a move aimed at reducing the political conflict. But despite the all-out support of Mr Pinayaryi Vijayan, the party came in the open against Mr Gurudin himself alleging torture of party cadres. Mr Jayarajan led the agitations. After much resistance, Mr Vijayan removed Mr Gurudin from the post. Since then the party leadership and party machinery in Kannur have been on two tracks.
Adding fuel to fire in the intraparty squabbles, the party had a tough time in Kannur to complete the local area committee meetings. The local committee meeting of Thalassery was abandoned midway due to the open protest against the official faction whereas tate secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan himself had to put his weight to complete the procedures. Popular leader C.O.T. Nazeer, former CPM area committee member and municipal councillor, who had been expelled from the party recently,has been haunting the CPM.
The aura of Mr Jayarajan as the saviour of comrades from Sangh terror would be the major impediment for the CPM to replace him. No names have surfaced so far against Mr Jayarajan who has completed only two terms (six years) as district secretary and is eligible for one more term (three years).
