Appointment of ex-Congress member as local secretary; revolt against CPM district secretary in Palakkad

PALAKKAD: The factionalism in the CPM in Palakkad has intensified amidst the rush for the by-election. The rebel faction organized a special convention in Kozhinjampara against the official leadership. The new crisis is happening when the Palakkad area committee member Abdul Shukoor's rift, which had put the party in a crisis, was discussed and resolved.

The convention was convened under the leadership of Kozhinjampara panchayat president M Satheesh. Of the 37 branch secretaries, 28 attended the meeting of the rebel faction. It was the protest over the selection of Kozhinjampara local secretary that led to a parallel move. The revolt is against the appointment of a person who left Congress a year ago as a local secretary.

At the convention, the activists lashed out at the district secretary for showing arrogance and impertinence and treating the real workers like slaves. A parallel convention of CPM members and supporters was held to protest against the lack of action despite lodging a complaint with the state secretary. CPM has been in power for two consecutive terms in Kozhinjampara, a Congress stronghold. However, things will become clear if we investigate how the factionalism arose," Satheesh said. The leadership has decided not to react to the resistance moves within the party for the time being in view of the elections.