The Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD) on Saturday served show-cause notices on nine dissidents, including its State general secretaries Sheikh P. Haris and V. Surendran Pillai, for anti-party activities by holding a rebel meeting to seek the ouster of party president M.V. Shreyams Kumar in Thiruvananthapuram two days ago.
This was decided at a joint meeting of the State office-bearers and district presidents, Mr. Shreyams Kumar, national general secretary Varughese George and K.P. Mohanan, MLA, told the media here.
The rebels have been given 48 hours to reply considering their long innings in the party. Unless their explanations were found to be satisfactory, action would be taken against them, the LJD leaders said.
State secretaries Angathil Ajaykumar and Rajesh Prem and three district presidents N.M. Nair (Thiruvananthapuram), Nazir Punnakkal (Alappuzha) and Sabas Pulpatta (Malappuram), and two State committee members were issued show cause notices.
The LJD leaders claimed that its faction had a majority in the State committee and was supported by 11 district presidents. However, seven district presidents were conspicuous by their absence, it is learnt.
Meanwhile Mr. Haris told journalists in Alappuzha that neither the State president nor the State office-bearers were empowered to initiate action against them as per the constitution of the party. Only the State working committee and the State council were authorised to issue such show-cause notices, he said.
Besides, the State president was a nominated member. Further, he had nominated office-bearers to get a majority in the forum. Even then, they would befitting respond to the show-cause notices, Mr. Haris said, adding that the leaders stood by their guns on the removal of Mr. Shreyams Kumar from the post.
Earlier Mr. George and Mr. Mohanan had tried to settle the issue between the official and rebel factions when the issue reached a boiling point.
The dissident leaders have accused Mr. Shreyams Kumar of incompetence and deleterious style of functioning. The party just managed to win an Assembly segment though it contested three sitting seats offered under the seat-sharing pact in the Left Democratic Front, Mr. Haris said.
Bad negotiations, he said, led to the solitary legislation missing the Cabinet berth. Now the party had to be satisfied with the post of chairman of two trivial and ailing public sectors - Trivandrum Spinning Mills Limited and Kerala Agro Industries Corporation, Mr. Haris said.
