New additions likely in CPI(M) Kozhikode district committee

At least some new additions are likely in the district leadership of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] in Kozhikode as the two-day extended district committee meeting began at the AKG Auditorium in the city on Tuesday (October 6).

According to party sources, T.K. Sumesh, area secretary, Balussery; T.K. Chandran, area secretary, Koyilandy; K. Ajayakumar, area secretary, Kozhikode Town; and P.K.E. Chandran, area secretary, Kakkodi, may be included in the district committee as permanent invitees. Some of the district functionaries of the Democratic Youth Federation of India could also find a berth there. Senior leader C. Bhaskaran is likely to be relieved of his position in the district secretariat due to his advancing age. It is learnt that some new leaders could be added to the district secretariat as well.

The extended district committee meeting was inaugurated by Leader of the Opposition and party Polit Bureau member Pinarayi Vijayan in the morning. Central committee members E.P. Jayarajan, K.K. Shailaja, P. Sathidevi, C.S. Sujatha, and T.P. Ramakrishnan are attending it along with State secretariat members such as V. Sivankutty, P.A. Mohamed Riyas, and C.N. Mohanan.

Attacking the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government, Mr. Vijayan alleged that the agenda of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the BJP was being implemented in the State. He also claimed that Gyanesh Kumar, Chief Election Commissioner, was “protected” by the UDF when it was in power earlier. The meeting passed a resolution against the BJP-led government at the Centre for using the Enforcement Directorate to target Opposition party leaders, journalists, activists, and independent intellectuals.

The resolution alleged that the agency sent a letter to the State Police Chief seeking the filing of a first information report (FIR) against Mr. Vijayan and Mr. Riyas in the CMRL-Exalogic pay-off case, as the raids conducted at their residences did not yield any evidence to implicate them in it.

Discussions

The delegates engaged in group discussions over an organisational report prepared by party district secretary M. Mehboob later in the day. Following this, an open debate by select delegates began, which will continue on Wednesday (October 7). The meeting will conclude with Mr. Mehboob’s reply to those remarks and the possible announcement related to the changes in leadership.