A deepening rift within the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] in Cherukunnu grama panchayat came into sharper focus on Friday (November 28) after rebel candidate E. Baburaj, contesting from Ward 2 (Dalil), publicly levelled a series of allegations against the party leadership.
Mr. Baburaj was expelled from the party this week for alleged anti-organisational activities while serving as the Kunnanangad centre branch secretary. He said that action was taken against him without seeking an explanation, and that it amounted to a violation of the party’s constitutional norms.
Addressing the media, Mr. Baburaj said his decision to contest against CPI(M) area committee member K. Mohanan had triggered systematic attempts to isolate and tarnish him. He alleged that an “unspoken crisis” was unfolding within the party at Cherukunnu, where corruption, mismanagement, and favouritism were being overlooked, and that those who raised questions were sidelined and expelled.
He cited the closure of the Cherukunnu Cooperative Hospital as a key example, demanding an independent inquiry into what he described as large-scale financial irregularities. The hospital, launched with lakhs of rupees raised through shares from the public, was later stripped of valuable medical equipment, which, he alleged, was sold to the Government Medical College, Pariyaram.
“The public has a right to know what happened to an institution built with their contributions,” he said. Mr. Baburaj also claimed that he had been receiving threats over the phone and through social media since he filed his nomination. He said he intended to pursue legal action.
The allegations come at a time when rebel voices are surfacing in several parts of Kannur district ahead of the local body election, signalling deeper internal strains within the ruling front at the grassroots.
Published – November 28, 2025 07:43 pm IST
