Former CPI Idukki district secretary Sivaraman removed from party positions

Thodupuzha: Communist Party of India (CPI) has removed former Idukki district secretary K K Sivaraman from elected party positionsafter he walked out of a district executive meeting and publicly announced that he was withdrawing from political activities.District secretary K Salimkumar said the action was taken due to Sivaraman’s repeated public criticism against the party. He has been removed from both district executive and district council. The action follows Sivaraman’s public criticism regarding party’s defeat in Peermade assembly constituency. He had openly stated that the candidate selection had failed and that candidates fielded from outside the constituency should have wider public acceptance. Salimkumar himself had contested from Peermade.District council reportedly assessed that Sivaraman’s public statements had placed the party in a defensive position. Party leadership also accused him of repeatedly violating organisational discipline and continuously criticising party leaders. Sivaraman, who had been increasingly estranged from district leadership for some time, had earlier walked out of the executive committee following party’s defeat in local body elections and sharply criticised the leadership and district secretary. The party had sought anexplanation from him at that time. While the reply submitted by Sivaraman was still under examination, he again made public remarks regarding assembly election defeat.Sivaraman had served as CPI district secretary for 16 years and had been one of the prominent faces of party in Idukki for decades. District council stated that his party membership could still be renewed as membership scrutiny process is under way.District council meeting was presided over by member P P Joy. Salimkumar presented the report. State executive member T J Anjalose along with V R Sasi, M K Priyan, Jose Philip, C U Joy, Jaya Madhu, V K Dhanapal and T Ganesan attended the meeting.