Thiruvananthapuram: Trouble is brewing for the CPI(M) in Kerala over the back-to-back allegations ranging from BJP moves to nexus with criminal and smuggling gangs of its prominent leaders from party citadel Kannur in north Kerala, popularly known as the 'Kannur lobby, '.
While CPI(M) central committee member and Left Democratic Front (LDF) convenor E P Jayarajan's meeting with BJP top leaders triggered a row during the Lok Sabha polls, the defeat of the party Kannur district secretary M V Jayarajan in the Lok Sabha polls at Kannur caused much embarrassment to the 'Kannur lobby'.
The latest setback to the 'Kannur lobby' is the revelations by a dissident leader from Kannur over the nexus of another prominent leader of Kannur P Jayarajan with criminal and gold smuggling gangs.
Revelation of a woman from the party citadel that country bomb making by party workers is rampant in 'party villages' (strongholds of the party) also put the 'Kannur lobby' in a bad light.
Manu Thomas, who was recently quit the CPI(M) Kannur district committee, even received a threat on his life from CPI(M) activist Akash Thillankeri, who is accused in criminal cases. The provocation was Thomas's revelations on the nexus of P Jayarajan and his son, who is also a party worker, with gold smuggling and criminal gangs.
Thomas's decision to quit the party was also due to the reluctance of the party to take action on his complaints on the nexus of party members with criminal and smuggling gangs.
An ongoing war of words between P Jayarajan and Thomas on social media and subsequent threats and cyber attacks against Thomas through various pro-CPI(M) social media groups even goes against the caution raised by the party leader M V Jayarajan over cyber wars causing damage to the party.
The opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) is trying to cash in on the opportunity by raising the issue in the Kerala Assembly. But speaker A N Shamseer denied permission considering the ruling front's contention that the issue was just based on allegations and assumption and does not have any evidence to substantiate. The Opposition subsequently walked out of the house.
Many top leaders of the CPI(M), including Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and party state secretary M V Govindan, are also from Kannur. The leaders from Kannur have been dominating the party for quite some time and hence the term 'Kannur lobby' emerged.