Kerala CPI(M) hit by triple crisis: sexual misconduct, corruption and bribery charges
Synopsis
Three controversies in three districts have hit the CPI(M) simultaneously — a sexual misconduct allegation with digital evidence in Palakkad, a Vigilance case against a sitting secretariat member over a scandal-hit Kochi housing project, and a ₹10 lakh bribery clip against a Thiruvananthapuram councillor. With the Kerala Assembly opening a nine-day session this week, the timing could hardly be worse for the Left Opposition.
Key Takeaways
CPI(M) Palakkad district secretary E.N.
Suresh Babu was abruptly removed on Sunday amid sexual misconduct allegations backed by digital evidence from a woman party worker.
A Vigilance probe has been ordered into the Mundamveli flat complex in Kochi , where 78 families live in reportedly poor conditions; a case has been registered against former GCDA chairman C.N.
The Muvattupuzha Vigilance Court has directed a case-status report by 22 October ; the land is reportedly classified as marshy and sits under a high-tension line.
CPI(M) Corporation councillor S.
Ajin in Thiruvananthapuram faces an internal enquiry over alleged demand of a ₹10 lakh bribe; audio-video clips were released by the complainant.
CPI(M) state secretary M.V.
Govindan has confirmed the party will conduct a formal enquiry into the bribery allegation.
The Kerala Legislative Assembly begins a nine-day session this week, during which the ruling UDF is expected to mount sustained attacks on the Left using all three cases.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala is confronting a simultaneous three-front crisis — allegations of sexual misconduct against a district secretary, a state-ordered Vigilance probe into a housing project linked to a senior secretariat member, and a bribery accusation against a Corporation councillor — placing the party under intense political pressure ahead of a crucial nine-day Assembly session beginning later this week.
Palakkad District Secretary Removed Amid Misconduct Allegations
In Palakkad, the abrupt removal of district secretary E.N. Suresh Babu on Sunday has triggered allegations of sexual misconduct involving a woman party worker. She is understood to have approached the party's senior leadership with digital evidence — including messages and call recordings — alleging that Suresh Babu had harassed her over a sustained period and behaved improperly towards her.
Suresh Babu has since stepped down as district secretary, citing personal reasons. The party has not publicly addressed the specific allegations beyond confirming the leadership change.
Vigilance Probe Into Kochi Flat Complex Targets Ex-GCDA Chairman
The Palakkad controversy follows closely on a separate and equally damaging issue involving C.N. Mohanan, former chairman of the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA) and current CPI(M) state secretariat member. The Kerala government has ordered a Vigilance probe into the Mundamveli flat complex in Kochi, where 78 families are reportedly living in appalling conditions less than two years after the flats were commissioned.
A Vigilance case has already been registered against Mohanan, who reportedly championed the project during his tenure as GCDA chairman. The Muvattupuzha Vigilance Court has directed that a status report on the case be submitted by 22 October. Questions have also been raised over the nature of the land on which the complex stands — revenue records reportedly classify it as marshy terrain — and the site is said to be located directly beneath a high-tension electricity line.
Bribery Allegation Against Thiruvananthapuram Councillor
In Thiruvananthapuram, the CPI(M) has ordered an internal enquiry after its Corporation councillor S. Ajin was accused of demanding a ₹10 lakh bribe to resolve a land-related dispute. The allegation was raised by Sanju, a resident of Thirumala, who released audio and video clips accusing Ajin of demanding the money in connection with problems relating to a plot he had purchased on MLA Road in Thrikannapuram ward.
CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan has confirmed that the party will conduct a formal enquiry into the allegation against Ajin.
Congress Seizes the Moment
The ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) has wasted no time in turning the controversies into political ammunition. Kerala Congress President and Power Minister Sunny Joseph recalled how his own party handled a misconduct complaint against a Palakkad Congress MLA — by immediately transferring the matter to the State Police — drawing an implicit contrast with the CPI(M)'s handling of the Suresh Babu case.
Notably, the Kerala Legislative Assembly is scheduled for a nine-day sitting beginning later this week, and the Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan-led government is expected to press the Left Opposition hard on all three issues in the House.
What This Means for the CPI(M)
Three separate controversies converging simultaneously point to deeper questions of internal accountability and party discipline within the CPI(M). This is not the first time the party has faced internal misconduct allegations, but the combination of sexual harassment, a housing scandal touching a sitting secretariat member, and a bribery clip in the same news cycle presents an unusually concentrated reputational challenge. With an Assembly session imminent, the party faces the prospect of sustained floor attacks at precisely the moment it needs to project unity as the principal opposition.
Point of View
A housing scandal, and a bribery clip — are not merely bad luck for the CPI(M); they reflect a structural accountability deficit that periodically surfaces in Kerala's Left politics. The party's instinct to handle such matters internally, rather than route them immediately to independent authorities, is precisely what Congress will exploit on the Assembly floor. The Mundamveli case is arguably the most consequential: a sitting state secretariat member facing a Vigilance case over a housing project that has failed 78 families is a governance failure, not just a party embarrassment. The CPI(M)'s credibility as an opposition force depends on how quickly it can separate party discipline from public accountability — and so far, the signals are mixed.
NationPress
5 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was CPI(M) Palakkad district secretary E.N. Suresh Babu removed?
E.N. Suresh Babu was abruptly removed as CPI(M) Palakkad district secretary on Sunday following allegations of sexual misconduct raised by a woman party worker who reportedly presented digital evidence including messages and call recordings. Suresh Babu stepped down citing personal reasons, and the party has not publicly addressed the specific allegations.
What is the Mundamveli flat complex controversy?
The Mundamveli flat complex in Kochi, built under the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA), is at the centre of a Vigilance probe after 78 families were found living in reportedly appalling conditions less than two years after it was commissioned. A Vigilance case has been registered against C.N. Mohanan, the former GCDA chairman and current CPI(M) state secretariat member who allegedly championed the project; the land is reportedly classified as marshy and the site sits below a high-tension electricity line.
What is the bribery allegation against CPI(M) councillor S. Ajin?
Sanju, a resident of Thirumala in Thiruvananthapuram, has accused CPI(M) Corporation councillor S. Ajin of demanding a ₹10 lakh bribe to resolve a land-related issue concerning a plot on MLA Road in Thrikannapuram ward. Audio and video clips of the alleged demand were released by the complainant, and CPI(M) state secretary M.V. Govindan has confirmed that an internal enquiry will be conducted.
How will these controversies affect the Kerala Assembly session?
The Kerala Legislative Assembly is scheduled for a nine-day sitting beginning later this week, during which the Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan-led UDF government is expected to press the Left Opposition on all three controversies. The simultaneous nature of the crises significantly limits the CPI(M)'s ability to counter or deflect on the floor.
How has Congress responded to the CPI(M) controversies?
Kerala Congress President and Power Minister Sunny Joseph drew a pointed contrast by recalling how his party immediately referred a misconduct complaint against a Congress MLA to the State Police — implicitly criticising the CPI(M)'s internal-enquiry approach to the Palakkad case. The UDF is widely expected to use all three issues as political ammunition in the upcoming Assembly session.
