A senior leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) has publicly accused his own party members of actively working to ensure his defeat in the recent local body elections in Kerala. The allegations have exposed a significant internal rift within the party's ranks in Pathanamthitta district.
Allegations of Internal Sabotage
K C Rajagopalan, a CITU state committee member and former CPM legislator from Aranmula, has launched a scathing attack against partymen in Mezhuveli. The 76-year-old veteran claimed that the local party leadership, led by CPM area secretary T V Stalin, orchestrated a concerted move to defeat him in the ward election. Rajagopalan contested and won from ward 8 (Maramon) of the Mezhuveli grama panchayat, but by a narrow margin of just 28 votes.
He secured 324 votes, while his main rival, Congress candidate K N Radhachandran, polled 296 votes. A BJP candidate in the fray received 37 votes. Rajagopalan attributed his victory not to party support, but to votes he claimed to have received from local Congress supporters, suggesting a complete breakdown of his own party's backing.
A Series of Accusations and Past Grudges
The former MLA leveled a series of serious allegations against the local leadership. He stated that when the Left Democratic Front (LDF) eventually lost control of the panchayat, some party members celebrated with fireworks. He also recalled a past incident, alleging that when he was removed from the district committee, Stalin's son celebrated the move with fireworks.
Rajagopalan further claimed that external forces were mobilized to work against him to ensure his defeat. In a particularly damaging charge, he alleged that on the eve of the election, a photo of him sitting with A Padmakumar, an accused in the Sabarimala gold smuggling case, was circulated with malicious intent to tarnish his image.
Criticism of Leadership and Plans for Complaint
In his criticism, Rajagopalan did not spare the higher echelons of the party. He accused the CPM of engaging in "appeasement" politics and claimed all actions against him happened with the knowledge of the top leadership. He described Area Secretary T V Stalin as an "incompetent person who doesn't even read newspapers" and claimed that while Stalin grew under his shadow, he lacks a genuine connection with the people.
Rajagopalan confirmed he has plans to file a formal complaint with the party's state leadership regarding the entire episode. He highlighted the significance of the loss, noting that the panchayat had been under LDF rule for two decades before falling this time. His decision to contest the panchayat polls had also sparked protests within the party earlier.
The Other Side of the Story
Meanwhile, the accused, T V Stalin, who is also a district committee member, has dismissed all allegations as "baseless." He stated that he is not interested in sharing his stance with the media and suggested that Rajagopalan should have approached the party leadership directly with his grievances. Stalin asserted that he would express his views and defend himself within the confines of the party committee, adhering to internal disciplinary protocols.
The public airing of grievances by a senior leader like Rajagopalan points to deeper organizational issues within the CPM in the region, especially following the loss of a long-held panchayat. The episode underscores the intense internal dynamics and factional disputes that can surface after electoral setbacks.
