P Jayarajan posts 'Chankile Chenkodi” on Facebook, stays silent on row over song praising Kerala CM

Kozhikode: CPM leader P. Jayarajan has provided an explanation regarding his sharing of the revolutionary song “Chankile Chenkodi” ("Red Flag in the Heart") on Facebook, while other party supporters are celebrating the new song “Chempadaykku Kavalal” ("Protector of Red Army"), which praises Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. “It is true that I shared the song on Facebook. But there is no point in interpreting it further,” he said.

He added that the district conference is taking place, and it is also a fact that the song was shared. “What is the point in interpreting such things?” Jayarajan said in response to a question about the song. He further stated that he did not wish to comment on the song praising Pinarayi Vijayan. He was responding to media questions about whether he was trolling the song in praise of Pinarayi Vijayan by sharing a revolutionary song instead.

The incident has attracted attention due to the timing of Jayarajan’s sharing of the song while many party supporters and activists are celebrating the song about Pinarayi Vijayan. The song “Chankile Chenkodi” gained popularity on social media after being released two days ago by CPM secretariat member M. Swaraj. Jayarajan shared it on his Facebook page. The song speaks of the party's history and present struggle, which was created as part of the Kannur district conference.

Despite the widespread circulation of the song praising Pinarayi, Jayarajan refrained from sharing it. The song “Chempadaykku Kavalal” was presented by a group of employees at a function organized by the Kerala Secretariat Employees Association.

In 2017, the party had taken a strong stance against a song praising Jayarajan, released by the Poochery Gramin Kala Samithi. The song, titled "Kannurinte Udayasooryan," began with the lines “Kannurin Tharakamallo” and drew criticism from the CPM state leadership. Jayarajan was criticized in a state committee meeting for promoting individual worship, which led to him walking out of the meeting in frustration.