The final day of the district meet of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) witnessed dramatic scenes after P.N. Balakrishnan, senior district leader, walked out of the meeting in protest against his non-inclusion on the new district committee.
Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, State secretary of the party, was on the dais when Mr. Balakrishnan raised his voice against the decision not to include him in the 46-member district committee. A former member of the district committee, he alleged that the leadership had no concrete reason to offer for his non-inclusion.
He walked out of the meeting as soon as the list of the newly-elected committee members was announced at the venue of the district committee meet in Kalamassery. Mr. Balakrishnan expressed his willingness not to retain the primary membership of the party as a mark of protest. C.N. Mohanan, who was re-elected the district secretary, said that some would have to be removed for including new faces in the district committee.
The 69-year-old Mr. Balakrishnan was under the lens of the party leadership after he had posted some comments against party members in the social media. The members, who were criticised by him, had replied in the same tone. The district committee had earlier claimed that it would not encourage dissent and deviations from the party line among the members. It had also cited disciplinary action against erring party members.
