EP Jayarajan’s emotional exit from politics; Pinarayi among others remain silent

The secretariat meeting during which it was decided to remove E P Jayarajan from the post of LDF convener was emotional and dramatic. Even as Jayarajan told the meeting that he was ending his political career, no one, including the Chief Minister, responded.

The Chief Minister's response was limited to the words “Let's talk”. Informing the meeting that he would vacate the flat allotted to him by the party that day itself, he left the place at night. All these were unexpected events.

Friday morning

The secretariat meeting was to determine the agenda of the state committee meeting, reports to be presented and organisational decisions. As soon as the Chief Minister came, PB members M A Baby, A Vijayaraghavan and others assembled in the room of state secretary M V Govindan. This is the method before taking major decisions. The meeting agreed to remove Jayarajan from the post of front convener.

Secretariat meeting

Initially it was decided that the only agenda was on action pertaining to the Palakkad district committee. P K Sasi should be removed from party posts and Mannarkkad area committee should be reconstituted - these two measures of the Palakkad district committee were to be put up for approval.

Unexpected move

When the secretariat meeting began, Govindan announced the decision. Jayarajan sought to know on what charges he was being removed. Is it because Prakash Javadekar came to meet him? Govindan's reply that it is not only that. 

“The secretariat meeting has evaluated the activities of LDF. The work needs to be done better. Based on that, it was considered that a new person should be appointed,” explained Govindan.

Jayarajan said that he was not aware of the assessment of LDF. Govindan explained that it was decided by a secretariat meeting and he did not participate in it. Jayarajan's counter question then was whether the LDF is being evaluated in a meeting where the front convener is not present. The Chief Minister did not say anything while continuing this conversation. Interestingly, no one raised any significant objection to the PB members' proposal.

‘Then let everything end here’

"If this is the decision, I can end my political career," Jayarajan announced in the meeting. There was no response to that either. 

Jayarajan was residing in a flat, allotted to party secretariat members, in front of the AKG Centre. He said he was vacating the flat and no longer needed it, and then continued in the meeting.

The retreat of A K Balan

Govindan proposed to appoint Balan as the new LDF convener in the meeting, as per the understanding among the PB members. However, Balan expressed his unwillingness. After this it was proposed to make TP Ramakrishnan the convener. Although he is a member of the secretariat, Ramakrishnan was not there in Friday's meeting.

Stayed overnight and left in morning

After the meeting, Jayarajan went to the flat at night. He packed all his belongings. He had decided to attend Saturday’s state committee meeting. However, after knowing the party's decision, he did not wait and returned by the early morning flight from Thiruvananthapuram to Kannur. 

So far Jayarajan has not responded in the matter.