At Kurumathur in Taliparamba, Kannur, a flexible board emerged to approve CPI(M) leaders P. Jayarajan and M. Swaraj for the post of district secretary and state secretary. | Photo credit: Special arrangement
Amid the ongoing debate in the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M)) following its electoral defeat in Kannur district, the party’s district secretariat on Thursday criticized campaigns using photos and names of senior leaders after new flexible boards demanding leadership changes emerged in Dharmadam and Taliparamba assembly constituencies.
The district secretariat said that attempts were made to malign the party by sending out flex boards and promotional materials with senior officials on social media platforms. In a statement, she said that such campaigns turn into weapons in the hands of political opponents after a party’s electoral defeat.
The statement came after new flex boards supporting senior CPI(M) leader P. Jayarajan and former party state secretariat member M. Swaraj for leadership roles emerged in Kurumathur in Taliparamba constituency and in Kadamboor panchayat under interim chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s Dharmadam constituency.
In Kurumathur
A flexible board erected in Kurumathur approved the appointment of Mr. Jayarajan as District Secretary and Mr. Swaraj as State Secretary. The boards were erected under the name “Kurumathur Sakhakkal”. Besides photographs of Mr. Jayarajan and Mr. Swaraj, the flex also carried a picture of former Chief Minister EMS Namboodiripad. The board carried the message that leaders became leaders by serving the people and that the people would reject leaders who strayed from public service.
Another flex board came up at Aadur in Kadamboor panchayat with the slogan, “Call P. Jayarajan, save the party.”
In a statement, the district secretariat said that the CPI(M) has an organizational mechanism in place to study electoral failures, rectify shortcomings and come back stronger. She pointed out that State Secretary MV Govindan had already announced that there would be detailed discussions with party members about the electoral defeat.
The statement further said that the CPI(M) has overcome more difficult phases in the past and emerged stronger. She urged sympathizers and party members to refrain from overreactions and social media, saying such activities would not benefit the party at a time when internal discussions of electoral defeat have begun.
Jayarajan’s attitude
Mr Jayarajan has publicly distanced himself from glorification campaigns and criticized efforts to humiliate sections of the party leadership through social media.
In a Facebook post, he urged supporters to stop such campaigns. He said opinions and criticism should be communicated through internal party mechanisms rather than open campaigns on social media.
“Avoid open discussions through social media. Communicate views and criticism of party leadership and encourage internal party discussions,” Mr Jayarajan said in his appeal to party workers.
Published – 07 May 2026 21:18 IST
