Thiruvananthapuram: Notwithstanding its historic back-to-back victory in the recent Kerala Legislative Assembly election, the CPM leadership is in no mood to give any concession to party leaders responsible for defeat in various constituencies.
The party has decided to initiate disciplinary action against senior leaders in Ernakulam district for the successive defeats it suffered in the district since 2015.
The state leadership has reached the conclusion that the "black sheep" within the party were responsible for CPM’s failure to achieve the desired electoral successes in the district. The continuous lack of trust in the district leadership reflected in the recent decisions.
The Ernakulam district leadership of the party was found lethargic during the state election.
When it was asked to enquire into the reasons for the electoral reverses and initiate action, the district leadership even tried to dilly-dally. Under these circumstances it was decided to initiate mass disciplinary action based on the state secretariat's decision that no leniency should be shown towards those found shirking their responsibilities.
The state leadership raised the question as to why Ernakulam is failing to achieve the gains that were being made by the LDF all over the state. Of the 14 constituencies in the district, the LDF could win only five seats. The state leadership and the district committee were sure of winning the sitting seat of Thripunithura and Perumbavoor which was won earlier, but still lost.
Even though the LDF didn't expect to win the Piravom seat, the defeat by over 25,000 votes was unthinkable.
The leadership found that the assembly committees were not ready to accept independent candidates selected by the party for the Thrikkakara and Ernakulam constituencies.
The opposition to the candidate was intense in the Thrikkakara constituency.
The party has decided to take defeats and drop in vote share seriously and initiate disciplinary action accordingly. The rectification action has come into effect in the districts along with the commencement of party conferences at different levels.
The report submitted by the commission which probed the allegations against former minister G Sudhakaran in connection with the Ambalapuzha election will be discussed at the next state committee meeting.
The objective is to complete the district-level actions ahead of the state committee meeting.
Kollam meeting on Thursday
The commission report regarding the defeat of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidates in Kundara and Karunagapally seats will be taken up for discussion on Thursday by the district committee concerned in the presence of CPM acting secretary A Vijayaraghavan. The party had expected victory in these two seats, but lost.
The reasons for the defeat were examined by a commission headed by state committee member S Rajendran. Former minister J Mercykutty Amma lost from Kundara. Though the CPI candidate lost in Karunagappally, the defeat by a huge margin was a major embarrassment to the CPM itself according to the Kollam district committee. Therefore stern action is likely to be initiated against those found responsible for the defeat here too.
Action initiated in Kalpetta
The CPM has taken action against the leaders whose responsibility was fixed for the defeat of LJD candidate M V Shreyams Kumar in Kalpetta. It was decided to warn Kalpetta area secretary M Madhu and relinquish P K Abu , Kalpetta north local committee secretary and Kalpetta area committee member P Sajjida from their current responsibilities. The probe also found lack of commitment on the part of former MLA C K Saseendran.
Rectification in Capital
Thiruvananthapuram district secretariat member V K Madhu was demoted to district committee pointing out lapses in his work in the Aruvikkara constituency. The district leadership had earlier recommended the name of Madhu as a candidate for Aruvikkara constituency.
The state committee struck down his name and fielded G Stephen from the constituency.
The commission found that Madhu could not come to terms with the decision and remained defunct throughout the election campaign, but it couldn't prevent Stephen's victory.
Mass action in Kuttiadi
The party initiated action against 36 persons including district secretariat member P K Kunahmedkutty for taking out a protest march against the decision to allot the seat to LDF ally Kerala Congress (M). Kunhamedkutty was relinquished from the district secretariat. Action was taken against Kunnummal area committee members T K Mohandas, K P Chandri, Kunnammal Krishnan. The Kuttiyadi area committee was dissolved.
Action was taken against 32 members of the Valayam local party committee too.
CPM area commitee meber Girish John was demoted to the branch committee for holding talks with Muslim League general secretary P K Kunhalikutty after being denied the Thiruvambady seat.
CPM candidates won Kuttiyadi and Thiruvambady seats.
The party sought explanation from 11 persons who led the public protest in Ponnani. In Perinthalmanna explanation was sought from five leaders for not providing the required cooperation to the party candidate.
Palakkad and Alappuzha
Palakkad district panchayat vice-president and CPM Palakkad district secretariat member C K Chamunny was demoted to the district committee over allegations of corruption related to land acquisition for rice mill to be started by the collective of cooperative banks at Kannambara. The district commitee also decided to expel Chamunnuy’s relative and cooperative society honorary secretary R Surendran from the party. The committee also decided to retrieve the estimated loss of Rs 3.5 crore in the land transaction from him.
District secretariat member K Raghavan was demoted following the unearthing of irregularities in the party-controlled Nooranad Padanilam School in Alappuzha district.
