Congress races to exploit ‘unrest’ in Kannur CPI(M), bids to woo Manu Thomas
Former DYFI leader and CPI(M) Kannur district committee member Manu Thomas’ “disclosures” about party strongman P. Jayarajan and his son Jain Rajan’s “ruthless subversion” of the governing party for “criminal proteering” have provided ammunition to the Congress to assail the government and seize the moral high ground in the Assembly and outside.
The public “falling-out” in the CPI(M) in Kannur has arguably become a bother for the ruling party’s leadership and a perceived windfall for the Opposition at a time when the government is licking its wounds after a crippling electoral defeat in the Lok Sabha polls.
The Congress leadership has put out feelers to woo Mr. Thomas to its side. Mr. Thomas has demurred for now and expressed a desire to remain an outlier and a force for good in the Left politics in Kannur.
The controversy has also spawned an anxious political climate in Kannur district. The police intelligence has not reportedly ruled out the risk of internecine violence. Hence, law enforcement brought Mr. Thomas, his residence, and business outlets under a security blanket.
Threats alleged
Mr. Thomas also said that he was receiving threats, including from CPI(M) adherents involved in political murders.
Mr. Thomas’ threat that he would reveal “incriminating insider” information about the 2012 murder of RMP leader T.P. Chandrasekharan and the killing of Shuhaib, a 28-yearold Congress worker, in 2018 has purportedly made the CPI(M) anxious, given the potential of such loaded accusations to wreak severe political damage, irrespective of their veracity.
Jayarajan’s reaction
Meanwhile, Mr. Jayarajan said he would sue Mr. Thomas for libel. In a Facebook post, he said Mr. Thomas had become a poster boy for the right-wing media after the latter denounced the party.
Mr. Jayarajan revealed that the CPI(M) had ¥agged a con¥ict of interest between Mr. Thomas’ responsibilities in the party’s Kannur district committee and the latter’s business operations. He said Mr. Thomas had shirked his political duties since, including Lok Sabha campaign work.
Congress State president K. Sudhakaran said his party would shield Mr. Thomas. He said the CPI (M)’s “cult of violence and criminal proteering” was a political time bomb that would decimate the ruling party from the inside.
Mr. Sudhakaran claimed the CPI(M)’s attempt to keep a lid on the brewing discontent in the party was faltering.
Ex-district committee member of CPI(M) accused P. Jayarajan, his son of using party for ‘criminal proteering’