The crossing over of 500 expelled CPI(M) men to the CPI is likely to strain relations between the two dominant LDF constituents in the district.
Around 238 CPI(M) members from Udayamperoor associated with P. Krishna Pilla Samskarika Vedi; nearly 100 from Neriamangalam, and around 240 members from Elamkunnapuzha crossed over to the CPI on Monday.
Factional feud had been brewing in the CPI(M) Udayamperoor unit for long, and it had culminated in the party suffering an unprecedented defeat in Udayamperoor panchayat in the last local body polls.
Subsequently, T. Reghuvaran, considered the leader of the rebel faction and a known V.S. Achuthanandan loyalist, was suspended from party membership for a year.
In March this year, these disgruntled members came together to form the P. Krishna Pilla Samskarika Vedi, much to the chagrin of the party leadership.
“Despite that, we worked for the victory of the party candidate in Thripunithura in the Assembly polls, and the party leadership had promised to hold discussions with us to settle differences. “The last straw was when the party mandalam committee, in its report, accused us of working against the party candidate. This was a clear signal that the party no longer needed us,” Mr. Raghuvaran said.
However, the CPI(M) said no such assurance was given, and that the rebels were expelled from the party for serious irregularities or misconduct.
The party claimed it was convinced that they had worked to defeat its candidate, despite their public posture to the contrary.
“The CPI has resorted to political immorality by accepting such elements. This will definitely have an impact on Left unity at least in Udayamperoor panchayat. Senior leaders like Kanam Rajendran should not have attended the function to embrace such people into the party,” CPI(M) district secretariat member C.K. Manisankar said.
CPI stand
However, the CPI district leadership said the party had clear guidelines for accepting people into its fold, and that there was no question of political indecency.
“We have always maintained the line that people who choose to walk out of the CPI(M) should come to the CPI and vice versa. They should remain part of the larger Left coalition. A couple of decades ago, AITUC workers at Pettah had en bloc crossed over to the CITU. But, the CPI did not act against them with vengeance,” party district secretary P. Raju said.
