P Jayarajan's candidature puts CPM in dilemma

KOZHIKODE: The CPM is wary about the candidature of P. Jayarajan in the upcoming Assembly polls. Though Jayarajan figures in the list of the few party district secretaries to be fielded, the party is unlikely to put him up as a candidate as the CBI tightens its grip in the Kathirur Manoj murder case.

“The party cannot afford to field Jayarajan although it had in the case of Karayi Rajan and Karayi Chandrasekharan,” said a party source.

Karayi Rajan and Karayi Chandrasekharan are accused in the murder of Popular Front of India worker Fasal but the duo got elected as Kannur district panchayat president and Thalasserry municipal chairman respectively, overcoming all dissenting voices within the party.

But due to the High Court’s refusal to allow them to move out of Ernakulam district, Karayis had to put in his papers. “If the party decides to field Jayarajan, the BJP and the Congress will project it as support to murder politics at the national level. On the other hand, hardcore party cadres’ sentiments would be affected if Jayarajan is ignored,” added the source.

The CPM is also cautious over the possible comparison between Chief Minister Oomman Chandy, who appeared before the solar commission for 14 hours, and Jayarajan who is making every attempt to evade CBI interrogation.

“Politics cannot be practised behind an iron curtain in the name of caderism. That era has gone. Lack of transparency will create suspicion ,” a prominent CPI leader, on condition of anonymity, said.

Reacting to this, CPM state committee member M. V. Jayarajan said that the party would decide its candidates at the appropriate time. “Candidate selection process has not begun. P. Jayarajan is being targeted by the BJP using the CBI and CPM will go any extent to protect our leader,” he asserted.