Team News Riveting
Kochi, November 13
Kerala’s heavyweight Communist leader and party’s State General Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had gone on medical leave.
The CPI(M) informed in a statement about Kodiyeri proceeding on leave. But the sidelining of powerful Communist leader and politburo member was seen with his son Bineesh Kodiyeri’s arrested by the Enforcement Directorate which is investigating a Bengaluru drug case.
Bineesh’s friend and business associate Mohammed Anoop was arrested with possession of drugs and the ED had said in its remand report that they suspected Bineesh had given funds to Mohammed Anoop and was not disclosing all facts.
This is however not the first time that Kodiyeri has been in controversy because of his son. He had reportedly expressed his willingness to be away from the post when allegations about his eldest son Binoy Kodiyeri surfaced in 2019. A Mumbai based woman had lodged a rape complaint at the Oshiwara police in June 2019.
Political observers felt Kodiyeri would most likely to step away from the post and might have felt that he was not getting enough support from within the party. What has surprised many people however is Vijayraghavan who has been chosen to step in for Kodiyeri, even if temporarily, does not hail from Kannur. Leaders from Kannur have almost always dominated the party.
Moreover, it is unusual that the charge of the state secretary had been given to someone else while the secretary goes on leave. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan had headed the party for 17 years and not even once had the charge of the party been given to any of his party’s colleagues. Also, when Kodiyeri left for America in October 2019, no other party leader was made State Secretary in charge in his absence.
Left Democratic Front (LDF) convener M Vijayaraghavan will hold the charge as state Secretary in the absence of Kodiyeri.
