E P Jayarajan not LDF convener Opposition claims it proves he had links with BJP

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 31 (PTI) Amidst reports that senior CPI(M) leader E P Jayarajan is no longer the convener of the ruling LDF in Kerala, a senior party leader on Saturday confirmed that he does not hold the key post now, but did not give the reasons behind it.


CPI(M) leader T P Ramakrishnan, who will reportedly take over as head of the Left front in the state, said that the party secretary will explain why Jayarajan is not the LDF convener.



Ramakrishnan did not confirm whether he has been appointed as LDF convener, but said that he will abide by the decisions of his party.



"The party has to officially announce who will be the next LDF convener. The reasons for E P Jayarajan not being LDF convener have to be explained by the party's state secretary," he told media.



The Congress-led UDF opposition used the development to claim that it vindicates their allegation that Jayarajan had links with BJP leaders Prakash Javadekar and Rajeev Chandrasekhar.



Leader of Opposition of the state assembly V D Satheesan said that the development vindicates the UDF claims that Jayarajan had links with BJP leaders.



"Now, it has been proved that what we claimed was true. Not just him (Jayarajan), the CPI(M) in Kerala also has wrong links, including business relations, with the BJP," Satheesan said.



Jayarajan abstained from the CPI(M) state committee meeting held during the day amidst reports that he has expressed his willingness to resign from his post.



Jayarajan, who arrived at his home in Kannur in the morning, did not respond to reporters' queries on whether he was going to resign as LDF convener.



"Will call you if I have anything to say to you," he told reporters.



The veteran Marxist leader has reportedly been under fire from the party ever since he had admitted, in April, to meeting BJP leader Prakash Javadekar.



Following the revelation by Jayarajan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had cautioned his party colleague to be vigilant in his associations.



Satheesan said that the party had protected Jayarajan back in April when he had, amidst the Lok Sabha polls, admitted to meeting Javadekar.



"What happened now for such a decision by him is not clear and the CPI(M) has to answer that," the opposition leader said.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)