Kuttanad on brink of political turmoil as 19 CPM workers jump ship

ALAPPUZHA: After a hiatus, Kuttanad is seeing worsening relations between CPM-CPI after 19 CPM workers, including former panchayat president and former area secretary of SFI, joined CPI the other day.

This is nothing short of a blow to CPM with the party all set to host their branch conference today in Alappuzha. 19 people left the CPM, including former president of Veliyanad panchayat Omana Ponnappan; former area secretary of SFI Manu Mohan; former member of Edathua local committee, AJ Kujunmon; former secretary of Thalavadi local committee, Prasad.

In the general meeting held at Ramankary, CPI District Secretary T.J. Angelos welcomed them to the party.

Due to sectarianism, a group of leaders and activists under the leadership of former panchayat president R. Rajendra Kumar had earlier joined CPI from CPM. Recently, the CPM even supported the no-confidence motion brought by the Congress in Ramankary to oust its panchayat president. This incident is believed to have resulted in the exodus of CPM workers to CPI.

Meanwhile, CPM said those who defected to CPI have long been away from CPM and were not part of any party procedures.