JSS leaders fired for cosying up to UDF

Thiruvananthapuram: The  JSS has ousted two of its  leaders, K.K. Shaju and K.T. Ithihaas, for anti-party activities. According to JSS leader K.R. Gouriamma, the  party’s state committee meeting  at Alappuzha on Saturday passed a resolution against the two in their absence for being close to  the UDF. Rumours are rife about her and a few of her supporters being keen to join the CPM.  Gouriamma did not deny the reports, but maintained that she can’t join the CPM in a hurry. 

She told DC that Shaju was ousted as he had been speaking ill of her and the JSS. “Shaju is the Alappuzha district president of JSS and instead of coordinating today’s meeting, he abstained from it. Ithihaas also had done similar antics,”  she said.

Other prominent leaders like JSS president A.N. Rajan Babu and Umesh Challiyil are also against Gouriamma’s move to join the CPM. Trouble had been brewing within the party for the last several months against  her move. They opined that majority of the JSS leaders were not keen to return to the CPM.

“Seventy percent of party supporters kept away from today’s meeting. If Gourimma is keen to join the CPM, then she should discuss it with the lower rank leaders in the party. They all are against her leaving.

It’s not only the Ezhava community, but people of other communities also support the JSS and it will be disgracing them if she leaves,” said Shaju, who is also the chairman of the Kerala Handloom Workers' Welfare Fund Board.

Ithihaas, who is also the Kerala Agricultural Workers’ Welfare Fund Board chairman, told DC that JSS  should have asked their opinion before ousting them.