The life of EP Jayarajan, convenor of the Left Democratic Front who is also the second seniormost leader of the CPI(M) is in danger as his party has shunned him from almost all positions. Though he has not been officially declared as persona non grata, the CPI(M) has made it known through some of the leaders that Jayarajan’s days as LDF convenor is almost over. The CPI’ s State secretary Binoy Viswam had the audacity to declare that Jayarajan had erred in meeting BJP leader Prakash Jawadekar and he should face action for the same. The general impression is that Viswam would not have made such a statement without a prodding by CPI(M) leadership.

The controversy erupted on election day (April 26) when BJP’s Alappuzha candidate Sobha Surendran declared that a top CPI(M) leader was likely to cross over to the Hindutva party disgusted with the goings on in his party.

Though she did not give the name of the CPI(M) leader, it was declared by K sudhakaran, the KPCC chief and Kannur Lok Sabha candidate that Jayarajan was the person who was in talks with Jawadekar.  Jayarajan is already on record stating that the BJP has fielded some of the best candidates in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

Being an election day, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI(M) secretary M V Govindan said that there was nothing unusual in the LDF convenor meeting the BJP leader. But by Saturday. The same Vijayan and Govindan changed the tune and came down heavily on Jayarajan. It is an open secret that Jayarajan and Govindan do not see to eye on any issues as the former had hoped that he would be appointed party secretary after the demise of Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. But Pinarayi Vijayan preferred Govindan, a side kick who would always toe his line of thinking.

Jayarajan was also keeping away from party affairs for quite some time because of his animosity with Govindan. The CPI(M) State Committee is meeting on Monday to discuss the ramifications caused by the Jayarajan-Jawadekar meet. Usually, violation of party guidelines warrant punishment like death penalty.

The 2012 gruesome murder of T P Chandrasekhar, a senior CPI(M) leader in Malabar by party assailants is a reminder to all those who challenge the party leadership. Since there is a discernible change in the tone of Vijayan and Govindan from their initial stance, it is certain that Jayarajan would be removed from the post of LDF convenor. The CPI(M) has its own police and judiciary system that decides the fate of those challenging party diktats. If past instances are any proof, Jayarajan is likely to meet the same fate as that of Chandrasekharan because in the CPI(M) it is an unconscionable sin to violate party’s decisions. The BJP and Sangh Parivar are untouchables as far as the Marxists are concerned and any dealings with them command capital punishment.

Thomas Issac, former finance minister and head of the Christian faction in the CPI(M) has come out in the open demanding severe action against Jayarajan.