Kannur: The Communist Party of India-Marxist in Kerala finds itself on the backfoot once again with party leaders’ connections with underworld being discussed on social media. The widespread discourse has further weakened the party’s attempts to rejuvenate the rank and file following the drubbing received in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

The recent ‘social media war’ between DYFI's former Kannur District President and former District Committee Member Manu Thomas and State Committee Member P Jayarajan has been causing headaches for the party leadership as it has led to an untimely discussion about party leaders’ connections with the underworld. 

While Manu Thomas has decided not to renew his party membership after his complaints regarding some leaders’ secret connections with gold smuggling mafia were ignored, the CPM district leadership, too, played down the issue as they didn’t want a public debate over the issue as it would only aggravate the position of the party before the public.

When media persons confronted CPM District Secretary MV Jayarajan over the issue, the latter claimed that a section of the media was trying to use this as a tool to hit out against the CPM. "The decision was taken according to the party constitution. There was no expulsion. There was no resignation, as well," he said.

Initially, Manu Thomas too was reluctant to speak against the party as he warded off the questions from media persons. He told them that he had tried to correct something which went wrong during his tenure in the party. Since his attempts failed to fetch the desired results, he decided to correct himself. But Jayarajan came out with a Facebook post criticising Manu Thomas, accusing him of acting as an agent of Right-wing media by creating an opportunity for the media to attack the CPM. As he was criticised by the strongman of Kannur, Manu Thomas too has came up with a facebook challenging P Jayarajan for a discussion. 

In his facebook post on Wednesday, Jayarajan alleged that Manu Thomas has been sitting idle in his house for the last 15 months and had not even played his role in the crucial Lok Sabha elections when the country was going through a difficult phase. He alleged that, Manu Thomas is deliberately gunning for some individuals in the party by raising some fake allegations. 

"This party has a tradition of considering the complaints of even a common party worker seriously. As it is the case, one could easily see that Manu’s complaints were treated on its merit by the party," Jayarajan said. 

The party had asked Manu Thomas to abstain from involving with a private business venture in Taliparamba to become a full time party member which the latter had declined, Jayarajan claims, adding that Manu thomas was being used by the Right-wing media when he had decided to cut his connections with the party.

When Manu Thomas was with the party, he didn’t get the media attention which he receives now, the CPM leader further said. 

In response, Manu Thomas slammed Jayarajan saying that his position in the party now is quite pitiable. "It is Jayarajan who has provided an opportunity to malign the party through the media by starting up a discussion in the social media," Manu said in his facebook post. 

"You are the leader who put the party into a crisis when you were leading the party in the district. You might not have forgotten old tales. You are the person who had created area secretaries to support quarry owners in the hilly regions of the district. Since you wanted to discuss, we can start discussing about your business ventures inside and outside the country, which you have created with the help of your son and ‘quotation gang members’. Let the people know about your recent attempt to create a new group in the party. I have nothing to hide which is already known to the public and the party. If you want to say anything against me, you are welcome. And one more thing, I want to eat out of my sweat," he said. 

The unexpected and untimely social media war between the party heavyweight and a former party leader has already troubled the leadership as they don’t want a discussion about something which they thought had resolved one year ago. Since P Jayarajan does not enjoy the clout, which he had enjoyed in the past, the party leadership would likely to put an end to this controversy by reining him.