Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 23 (NationPress) Tensions have reached a boiling point in Agali gram panchayat of Attapady, Kerala, as an independent candidate claims that a local CPM official threatened to take his life if he did not withdraw from the forthcoming local body elections.

The candidate, V.R. Ramakrishnan, who is running for election from Ward 18, has made public an audio recording of the alleged threatening phone call to back up his assertion.

However, the authenticity of this audio has yet to be independently confirmed.

Ramakrishnan, a former member of the CPM for more than forty years, stated that he left the party recently upon uncovering what he referred to as “deep-rooted corruption” at the local level.

He claims the alleged threat emerged just hours after the returning officer approved his nomination papers on Saturday.

In the audio, a voice believed to belong to Jamsheer, secretary of the CPM’s local committee, can be heard alternately persuading and intimidating Ramakrishnan, warning that the party would be “forced to kill” him if he continued with his candidacy.

At one point, Ramakrishnan firmly rejects the demand, challenging the caller to carry out his threats. Speaking to the press, Ramakrishnan affirmed his intention to remain in the race despite the intimidation.

He also indicated his plans to take legal action and provide the audio clip to authorities for further investigation.

“This is an attempt to silence me because I chose to run independently after exposing corruption. I will not withdraw,” he stated.

The controversy has drawn attention from the CPM's leadership in Palakkad.

Distract secretary E.N. Suresh Babu condemned the incident, urging party members to refrain from actions that could harm the organization during the election period. He mentioned that the party would take Ramakrishnan's allegations seriously and would act accordingly if needed. Nevertheless, he criticized segments of the media for “targeting the LDF with unverified allegations” during this sensitive time.

“We will not excuse wrongdoings, but we will not allow a media trial either,” he asserted.

The CPM is already facing signs of internal dissent in various parts of the district. Recently, the party expelled O.E. Abbas from the Pallarimangalam local committee after he announced his independent candidacy when denied a party ticket. Abbas submitted his nomination papers despite numerous warnings, highlighting the discontent simmering at the grassroots level.

With local body elections approaching, incidents of rebellion, indiscipline, and factional conflicts are likely to intensify scrutiny on the CPM's organizational command in Palakkad and beyond.