'Stabbed party in the back': CPI-M expels Kannur leader over Martyrs’ fund allegations

THE CPI-M on Monday expelled a district-level leader for levelling allegations of misappropriation of martyrs'  fund against party MLA T I Madhusoodanan at Payyanur in Kannur.

Announcing the decision at a press conference, CPI-M Kannur district secretary K K Ragesh said local leader V Kunhikrishnan had been expelled from the party.

CPI-M district secretariat and the district committee had discussed the matter and decided to take disciplinary action against Kunhikrishnan.

Kunhikrishnan had recently alleged that Madhusoodanan, the CPI-M MLA from Payyanur, had misappropriated funds collected to assist the family of a slain Left party worker.

He had also claimed that funds collected for the construction of a party building and for elections were diverted.

Ragesh said Kunhikrishnan had acted as a tool of anti-communist forces to tarnish the image of the party at a time when Assembly elections were approaching.

"The party does not need to prove anything to anyone. An audit was conducted after Kunhikrishnan raised the issue before the leadership and it found that no party funds were misappropriated," he said.

Ragesh alleged that Kunhikrishnan had betrayed the party and was not a true communist.