The Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD), a Left Democratic Front (LDF) ally, appeared diminished on Monday with three former State-level leaders ‘defecting’ to the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)].
They are ex-LJD State secretary (organisation) Sheikh P. Harris and one-time State secretaries V. Rajesh Prem and Ankathil Ajayakumar. The LJD had expelled them from the party after they fell out with State president M.V. Shreyams Kumar, MP.
Mr. Harris said the trio would ‘work in tandem’ with the CPI(M). LJD State general secretary V. Surendran Pillai would join the CPI(M) fold. Mr. Harris said the defections from the LJD would soon become an exodus. He claimed to have the support of at least one ex-LJD district president, seven elected local body officials, and 25 serving State committee members. “They will follow us into the CPI(M),” he said.
Mr. Harris said that under Mr. Kumar’s leadership, the LJD had become an irrelevant political entity with no direction. Mr. Kumar had sacrificed the party’s welfare at the altar of his business interests. The late LJD leader and Mr. Kumar’s father M.P. Veerendrakumar had balanced both, he said.
Mr. Harris said socialist parties in Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, and Bihar had degenerated into a dynastic business. People had rejected ‘family rule.’ The situation was not different in Kerala. Moreover, socialist parties seemed little concerned about people’s livelihood and were focussed on political power alone.
The leaders did not hazard any conjecture about whether they had the backing of LJD’s sole legislator K.P. Mohanan. He represents the Koothuparamba constituency in Kannur.
Before meeting the press, the expelled LJD leaders had held several rounds of talks with CPI(M) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. The LJD had been tottering on the brink of a split for several months. The anti-Kumar faction had opposed his ‘corporate style’ of functioning. Mr. Kumar has summoned LJD’s State committee for a conference in Kochi on December 27.
