Factionalism in the Bharatiya Janata Party State unit is percolating down to the grassroots level, with two sections in the Kuttiyadi mandalam in Kozhikode district coming out openly against each other.
A section owing allegiance to former president V. Muraleedharan has demanded action against those who were involved in the alleged creation of fake receipts during the BJP National Council held in Kozhikode last year.
The rival faction, led by national council member P.K. Krishnadas, has sought the removal of two local leaders for “hatching the plot and spreading false news” about the printing of fake receipts.
Groupism at the local level even reached the Payyoli police station. Subsequently, a case was registered against the party’s Kuttiyadi Mandalam president P.P. Murali and general secretary Edakkudi Manoj for attacking and threatening K. Sasikumar, an assistant lecturer at M.H.ES. Arts and Science College, Cherandathur.
Mr. Sasikumar, who was also the BJP booth president, was allegedly attacked for conveying to the media that fake receipts had been distributed to a gas agency and at the college.
Murali and Manoj, who reportedly belong to the Krishnadas faction, have urged the State leadership of the party to initiate disciplinary proceedings against two Yuva Morcha leaders for raking up a conspiracy after the B. Gopalakrishnan commission found that reports on printing of fake receipts was entirely false.
Panel clarifies
“All receipts distributed were original,” Mr. Gopalakrishnan said.
Last Thursday, a disgruntled Manoj had resigned from his post but later withdrew his resignation following a promise by the State leadership that action would be taken against the alleged conspirators.
On Sunday, the Mandalam convention of the party at Thiruvallur witnessed heated arguments between the two factions.
A section of the party was unhappy with Manoj participating in the convention after his “resignation drama”.
There were also views that the fake receipt controversy had dented the image of the party.
