Kollam, March 7 (NationPress) A faction of delegates present at the CPI-M's state conference in this district appeared to be displeased by the organizational report delivered by state Secretary M.V. Govindan during the second day of the four-day event on Friday, although they chose to keep their feelings private.

While many delegates accepted the report's commendation of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, it was a different story when it came to the glowing remarks about his son-in-law and State Tourism and PWD Minister P.A. Mohammed Riyas.

There was a notable mention of Riyas's management of his portfolios and his success in engaging more young people in the party.

Among those criticized in the report for their behavior were State Fisheries Minister Saji Cherian, former Ministers E.P. Jayarajan and A.C. Moideen, as well as state Secretariat member M. Swaraj and a few others.

Another point raised was that Vijayan has been under attack from the Opposition for some time, yet there has been a lack of unified efforts from CPI-M ministers to support him.

During the discussions following the report's presentation, Govindan faced backlash when delegates claimed that most of the positions were being filled by party members from a single district—Kannur, the home district of both Vijayan and Govindan.

However, the excessive praise for Riyas, a first-term legislator with prior roles in the student and youth wings of CPI-M, has particularly upset some.

Given Vijayan's dominant position within both the party and government, those dissatisfied with the way Riyas is treated can only voice their concerns in private.

Notably, at the last State Conference held three years ago, Riyas was appointed to the influential 17-member state Secretariat, which also sparked private discontent. The same sentiment arose when he was appointed as a cabinet minister in 2021, a decision that surprised many as seasoned politicians were overlooked.