CPM Palakkad secretariat: MR Murali returns, VK Chandran excluded 

PALAKKAD: The CPM Palakkad district committee has formed a new district secretariat with 11 members. Among them, five are new faces: M.R. Murali, K. Premkumar MLA, Subaida Ishaq, Ponnukuttan, and T.K. Naushad. M.R. Murali was previously expelled for anti-party activities. He had also worked with T.P. Chandrasekhar in the RMP, before returning to CPM years later. He later became the president of the Malabar Devaswom Board and is a former secretary of the Shoranur area.

Former MLA V.K. Chandran, a leader of the PK Sasi faction, has been removed from the district secretariat. The party leadership had warned him for divisive activities centered around Trithala. Another district committee member, P.A. Gokuldas, who demanded inclusion in the secretariat, contested but was unsuccessful, receiving only seven votes out of 45. Gokuldas, a leader from Mundur and a former VS faction member, had previously organized a public meeting against the party and led public protests.

This reorganization reflects the party's efforts to bring in new members while addressing internal factional issues and disciplinary concerns.