The CPI(M) has dealt with the “mutiny” in the party over the candidate in the Ponnani Assembly constituency with an iron hand.
The party leadership has stuck to its decision to field State committee member and CITU national secretary P. Nandakumar in Ponnani.
The party was of the view that succumbing to the demands by certain groups would not only jeopardize the party’s integrity, but also enfeeble its cadre character.
A section within the party in Ponnani had raised a revolt against Mr. Nandakumar’s candidature by taking out a demonstration through Ponnani town on Monday. The protesters were advocating the candidacy of CPI(M) district committee member T.M. Siddique, who has reportedly been harbouring parliamentary hopes for over a decade.
Although Mr. Siddique officially distanced himself from the “revolt”, most of those who took part in the Monday evening demonstration were from Veliyamkode and Palappetty areas. Party sources said Mr. Siddique, who hailed from Veliyankode, had played a tacit role in instigating a large group of CPI(M) sympathisers.
Talks held
The CPI(M) leadership, seriously viewing the protest over the State committee’s candidate choice, held several rounds of meeting at Ponnani on Tuesday. Veteran leader Paloli Mohammedkutty, Ponnani’s incumbent MLA and Speaker P. Sreeramakrishnan and State committee member P. Nandakumar were among those who attended the meetings held at constituency and panchayat levels. CPI(M) district secretary E.N. Mohandas continued parleys with party leaders from different panchayats in Ponnani constituency late into Tuesday evening. The leadership addressed the resignations of a few local leaders of the party over Mr. Nandakumar’s candidature.
The party leadership has told its cadres that Ponnani remained a sure bet for the CPI(M) with the good work carried out by Mr. Sreeramakrishnan in the development front over the past 10 years, and the party holding sway over all but one local body in Ponnani constituency.
The party has been of the view that no revolt by any group could do any major harm to the CPI(M)’s winning chances in Ponnani. Although the CPI(M) has four MLAs from Malappuram district, only Ponnani holds the pride of sending a party member to the Assembly on the party symbol.
The other MLAs such as V. Abdurahiman (Tanur), K.T. Jaleel (Thavanur) and P.V. Anvar (Nilambur) were all elected on independent banners.
