Kannur (Kerala): A rebellion appears to be brewing within the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) in Kerala’s Kannur against the party’s decision to field P.K. Shyamala, wife of party state Secretary M. V. Govindan, as the LDF candidate from the Taliparamba seat in the April 9 elections.
Govindan had represented the constituency for the past two terms. After he stepped down from the seat, the party fielded his wife, a move that has triggered the present rebellion.
On Monday, T. K. Govindan, a member of the CPI-M district Secretariat, announced that he is quitting the party and will contest the election as an independent from Taliparamba.
The development comes amid strong opposition within sections of the party to Shyamala’s candidature.
Govindan had reportedly raised objections during the district committee meeting where the candidate selection was discussed.
Since then, he has stayed away from party meetings, skipping constituency committee discussions as well as district Secretariat meetings over the past week.
As discontent grows within the party ranks in Taliparamba, the Congress leadership is closely watching the developments and has reportedly decided not to rush the announcement of its candidate for the constituency.
The 75-year-old Govindan, a senior party leader from the CPI-M stronghold of Malappattam, currently serves as chairman of the Kerala State Handloom Development Corporation.
He had earlier served as chairman of the Pariyaram Medical College Hospital and has held several organisational positions in the party, including area committee secretary in Sreekandapuram and Mayyil.
Opposition to Shyamala’s candidature had surfaced from the beginning, even as the party entrusted senior leader P. Jayarajan with overseeing the constituency.
The controversy intensified after Jayarajan shared Shyamala’s election poster separately on Facebook following the announcement of the candidate list, captioning it: “Dear comrade Shyamala, teacher in Taliparamba…”.
The post soon attracted a barrage of comments, many critical of the decision to field her.
Addressing a lengthy media interaction on Monday evening, T.K.Govindan made it clear that all was not well within the party in Kannur.
“I have told my wife, who is the president of a panchayat here, and all my close friends and well-wishers that none of them should quit the party. But I am leaving because things are not fair or right at the party in Kannur,” he said.
Referring to the suicide of NRI businessman Sajan Parayil, Govindan alleged that Shyamala had taken a firm position that as long as she remained the chairperson of the Anthoor municipality, she would not grant sanction for Parayil’s business venture.
Responding to a question on whether the Kannur CPI-M had adopted different standards in dealing with Shyamala and P. P. Divya, who was allegedly involved in the suicide of Naveen Babu, the Additional District Magistrate of Kannur, Govindan replied in the affirmative.
“My position is very clear. Despite severe opposition to Shyamala’s candidature in Taliparamba, it was cleared. How can a seat be given to the wife when the husband, who has already served three terms, steps down? This is not correct. There were other eligible women candidates too, but only the wife was considered,” he said.
Govindan also criticised the party’s decision to shift senior leader K. K. Shailaja from her sitting constituency to another seat.
Referring to the controversy raised by another prominent leader, V. Kunhikrishnan, regarding alleged misappropriation of funds collected for a martyr memorial by sitting Payyannur CPI-M legislator T. I. Madhusoodanan, Govindan said he believed Kunhikrishnan’s allegations were true.
“I do not know why Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is silent on all these issues,” he added. Incidentally, earlier on Monday, Kunhikrishnan, who has been expelled from the CPI-M, had announced his decision to contest as an Independent from Payyannur.
With Govindan also declaring his intention to contest independently from Taliparamba, all eyes are now on the Congress to see whether it will extend support to the two rebel candidates.
“I will accept the support of the Congress, but not from any communal forces,” Govindan said.
