THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state CPM leadership has decided to strongly go forward with their stand on the two-term norm. Without considering protests from local leaderships of the party over removing prominent leaders, Pinarayi has taken a solid stand over the issue. The PB members have also decided not to relax the predetermined policy of the party for anyone.

Prominent leaders like Thomas Isaac, G Sudhkaran and P Sreeramakrishnan were removed from the poll fray due to the two-term norm. This has led to huge resentment and condemn among the local units of the party. The workers of the party are expressing their dissent and protest to the party’s decision by even calling the central leaders via phone. Meanwhile, PB has decided not to call for any change in the party’s decision, despite mounting protests.

The party holds the view that it faced a severe backlash in West Bengal due to fielding the same candidates multiple times. When the senior leaders in the party were set to retire, there were no new set of leaders in the party’s Bengal unit to take up the leadership. State leadership will convince the local units by citing the example of Bengal. The state leaders hope that local leaders anger could be assuaged by asking them the single question— whether they need the party or the individual?

When harsh criticisms raised against the two-term norm in the state committee, chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan responded that the norm is also applicable to him and next time he won’t be able to contest. Meanwhile denying candidature to P Jayarajan, on whom the two-term norm is not applicable, has created a political crisis in Kannur. This issue will be taken up by the party secretariat’s meet to be held on Monday.