In a bold move amid heightened tensions, senior CPI-M leader V. Kunjikrishnan, recently expelled from the party, launched his explosive book on Wednesday in Payyanur, Kannur district – long considered the ideological fortress of the Left. The event, protected by heavy police deployment following a Kerala High Court order, drew a large crowd eager to hear his accusations of financial irregularities in the Kerala unit’s funds.
Kunjikrishnan’s ouster came last week after he publicly reiterated claims of mismanagement in the Dharmaraj Martyr’s Fund, igniting a firestorm within the party’s Kannur unit. Party leadership branded his statements as indiscipline, stripping him of primary membership. Undeterred, he used the book launch to intensify his critique.
Titled ‘Netrutvathile Anikal Thiruthanam’ (Cadre Must Correct the Leadership), the book argues that Kunjikrishnan’s intent is to strengthen, not weaken, the CPI-M. He emphasized the party’s foundational principles of criticism and self-criticism, now allegedly supplanted by viewing dissent as enmity.
He alleged a shocking lack of accountability, with even funds honoring martyrs being misused. Kunjikrishnan accused the leadership of shielding culprits and warned grassroots cadres against repeating West Bengal’s fate, where the party ruled for over three decades before collapsing. ‘Rise and reform leadership before Kerala follows suit,’ he urged.
Since raising these issues, Kunjikrishnan has faced relentless social media abuse. Chief guest Joseph C. Mathew, former IT secretary under VS Achuthanandan, hailed the book as a ‘statement of facts’ and called for truth from party workers and the public. He likened Kunjikrishnan’s silencing to Achuthanandan’s marginalization, to whom the book is dedicated.
Mathew highlighted Payyanur’s symbolic weight, demanding clear answers on the allegations. Despite the charged atmosphere, tight security ensured the event passed without incident, as the controversy simmers in CPI-M’s Kannur stronghold.