‘CM did not remove Sreemathy from secretariat meet’, party decision, says M V Govindan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM state secretary M V Govindan responded to the news that the chief minister had banned party central committee member P K Sreemathy from attending the state secretariat meeting. A decision on attending party committees is not taken by the chief minister. Govindan clarified that the stand that she should not work in the state unit is part of the party's organizational decision.

‘P K Sreemathy was a member of the CPM state committee and state secretariat. However, she was removed from the state committee and secretariat after crossing 75. It cannot be said that she has retired. She is working as the All India President of the Mahila Association. She was included in the central committee with special consideration as a woman working in the all-India level. She is not taken to the central committee to participate in the organization work of Kerala. It is for working at the all-India level,' Govindan said.

There were reports earlier that Sreemathy had been given an extraordinary ban by the CPM in Kerala. The news was that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had said in the state secretariat meeting that she would not be able to attend the leadership meetings in Kerala as a member of the central committee. The report said the chief minister had informed this when the secretariat meeting began last week.

Following this, Sreemathy did not attend the secretariat meeting on Friday. However, she did attend the state committee meeting held on Saturday. Central committee members in Kerala are given special responsibilities in the state. However, there are reports that it has been decided not to give Sreemathy any such responsibility.