Amidst the wrangling in the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] over the chairperson post in the Alappuzha municipality, the party has decided to divide the five-year tenure between two women.
As per the decision, Soumya Raj who was sworn in as the municipal chairperson will remain in the post for the next two-and-a-half years. K.K. Jayamma will take over the post for the remaining term. “We have taken the decision to divide the tenure of the chairperson in the best interests of the party and considering various other things,” said a CPI (M) leader.
The displeasure in the CPI(M) over the party’s choice of Alappuzha municipal chairperson came out in open with a section of the party workers staging a protest march in Alappuzha town on Monday.
Protests erupt
The CPI (M) district committee had put forward Eravukadu councillor Soumya Raj’s name to the post of chairperson of the Alappuzha municipality. However, it did not go well with a section of the party. They demanded that Ms. Jayamma, representing the Nehru Trophy ward and CPI (M) area committee member, be made municipal chairperson. The protesters, including several women, raised slogans against the party district leadership and levelled allegations against party leaders of accepting bribe in order to nominate Ms. Raj over the more experienced Ms. Jayamma.
Following this, the CPI (M) launched an inquiry and sought an explanation from three branch secretaries. Severe action is unlikely to be taken against those who led and participated in the protest march.
