Course correction on cards: V Joy to be replaced in Thiruvananthapuram, KK Ragesh faces uncertainty

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM General Secretary MA Baby said corrective measures following the setbacks in the Assembly elections will extend to the district level. He outlined this plan during a meeting of the party's state secretariat. Reports suggest that district secretariats and committees will be reorganised, if necessary, in districts where the party suffered significant setbacks.

Thiruvananthapuram District Secretary V. Joy will be replaced. This decision stems from the fact that his appointment violated party norms; criticism had been raised within the extended state committee that the rule requiring a district secretary to step down before contesting an election was not followed in Thiruvananthapuram. K.S. Sunil Kumar or A.A. Rahim might be considered for the role in Thiruvananthapuram.

Pressure is also mounting on Kannur District Secretary K.K. Ragesh following the party’s biggest setback ever in the Assembly elections in the stronghold. In Kannur, two rebels contested and won in CPM bastions. While it is unlikely he will be permanently removed from the post of District Secretary, Ragesh will face a public criticism. The Politburo's decision to reprimand State Secretary M.V. Govindan was also intended to send a message that action would be taken against secretaries who had faltered.