CPI to Suspend Senior Kerala Leader K.E. Ismail
Click to start listening
Synopsis
Tensions escalate in the CPI's Kerala unit as the party's state executive votes to suspend veteran leader K.E. Ismail for six months, following his public criticism of party decisions post the death of former legislator P. Raju.
Key Takeaways
- K.E. Ismail is suspended for six months.
- Ismail has a long political history, being 83 years old.
- The suspension stems from his comments about P. Raju's family.
- He led a faction opposing the party leadership.
- This action reflects ongoing tensions within the CPI.
Thiruvananthapuram, March 20 (NationPress) Tensions are rising within the Kerala faction of the CPI, which is the second-largest partner in the Left government led by Pinarayi Vijayan. On Thursday, the party's state executive opted to suspend its most senior leader, K.E. Ismail, for a duration of six months.
This decision will be presented to the party's state council for further consideration.
The 83-year-old Ismail is a former state minister, a three-time legislator, and a member of the Rajya Sabha.
Despite his age, Ismail remains in excellent health and has been leading a faction within the party that opposes the majority faction, which was previously led by the late state Secretary Kanam Rajendran and is now led by Binoy Viswam.
The immediate cause for Ismail's suspension stems from his reaction following the death of former CPI legislator P. Raju last month due to health issues.
Raju, who was close to Ismail, had been marginalized by the party leadership, including Rajendran and Viswam, despite being a prominent former legislator.
The party's state leadership, which largely opposes Ismail, was particularly displeased with his public criticism regarding the Raju family's decision not to display Raju’s body at the CPI office in Ernakulam.
Ismail publicly stated that Raju was profoundly discontent with the party's treatment of him, which led to the family's reluctance to honor him at the party office.
This situation has negatively impacted the image of the second largest ally in the ruling Left government, making it inevitable that action would be taken against Ismail.
When asked on Thursday morning if he anticipated disciplinary measures due to his statements, Ismail replied that they should await the outcome of the meeting. After news broke regarding the recommendation for his six-month suspension, he chose not to comment, saying, "I am not speaking anything at the moment."
Another senior CPI leader with strained relations with the current leadership is former state minister C. Divakaran, who recently made headlines by participating in a Congress-organized meeting.
