Kerala CPI(M) Removes E.P. Jayarajan as LDF Convenor

Thiruvananthapuram: The CPI(M) in Kerala relieved senior party leader E.P. Jayarajan from the position of convenor of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) here on Saturday.

The decision was taken at the CPI(M) state committee meeting held at the party headquarters, AKG Centre, in Thiruvananthapuram. Addressing the media after the meeting, CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan stated that Jayarajan was relieved due to limitations in functioning as the LDF convenor. He was succeeded by senior CPI(M) leader from Kozhikode and former Excise Minister, T.P. Ramakrishnan.

Jayarajan's controversial meeting with BJP leader and Kerala unit in charge Prakash Javadekar was cited as one of the reasons for his removal as convenor. Jayarajan will remain a CPM central committee member.

When asked for his reaction to the party's decision, Jayarajan stated, "I will respond at the appropriate time."

It should be remembered that on the Lok Sabha polling day of April 26, the CPI(M) in Kerala was shaken by allegations that E P Jayarajan, the ruling LDF convenor, had met with Prakash Javadekar to discuss the possibilities of joining the BJP.

The controversy began with the astonishing assertion by Shobha Surendran, the BJP leader and NDA candidate from Alappuzha, that a middleman named T G Nandakumar had attempted to facilitate the defection of a senior CPM leader to the BJP. She later identified E P Jayarajan as that leader.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan then sought to play down the issue terming it as a lack of caution on the part of Jayarajan. “Jayarajan should have been more cautious,” he said.

Without naming Nandakumar, who facilitated Jayarajan's meeting with Javadekar, the chief minister said any closeness or friendship with such people should be generally avoided. “Jayarajan who always maintains a good relationship with everyone, was usually not vigilant about the people who come to meet him,” he said.

The LDF convenor had admitted that Javadekar had come to see him. “He came to my son’s flat in Thiruvananthapuram during his son’s birthday party. When someone visits home you can't tell them to leave. He tried to talk politics but I didn’t entertain that,” Jayarajan said while admitting that Nandakumar was also with Javadekar.