KOZHIKODE: It is unlikely for CPM to expect a rebel voice in its citadel of Thalassery. But it happened in the form of a local committee member who has considerable influence over youth in the city. C.O.T. Naseer, former Thalassery municipal councillor and a local committee member of the party, is the man who raised his dissent over many issues and is reluctant to renew party membership.
The real trouble for CPM is that Mr Naseer is the all in all of city-based Kiwis Club, which is very active in sports and philanthropic activities. “Naseer enjoys massive local support in the city area which includes a majority of Muslims who traditionally backs CPM. A fissure in that core vote bank is unthinkable for the party,” said a party insider in Kannur.
As a sign of protest against the municipality, which ruled by CPM for decades, Kiwis Club has come up with a separate election manifesto for the development of Thalassery.
“The election manifesto is not a criticism. But Thalassery needs more in terms of infrastructure and healthcare. The heritage city lags behind in many areas,” Mr Naseer told DC. Sources say the party leadership had made all efforts to get an assurance from him that he would not be a rebel candidate.
“That would be a disaster for CPM. The party had pressurised and even threatened him against taking such a decision. He has a say over thousands of votes in the city,” said the source. CPM Thalassery area secretary M.C. Pavithran told DC that Mr Naseer himself had clarified his stand that he would work for the victory of CPM candidate, A.N. Shamsheer.
Mr Naseer told DC that he and his club members were setting off to drought-hit Maharashra to help Medha Patkar in distributing water there. Their reluctance is posing a threat to the huge majority of votes Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had in the last election - 26,509.
