CPM expels R Selvaraj from party

Friday, March 09, 2012: CPM district secretary Kadakampally Surendran today informed that R Selvaraj, who submitted his resignation as Neyyattinakara MLA, has been expelled from the party.
Addressing the mediapersons here on Friday, Surendran alleged that Selvaraj had submitted his resignation as part of the UDF conspiracy. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy had offered money and ministership to Selvaraj for his resignation, he alleged.
Selvaraj along with another UDF leader had visited Oommen Chandy on Friday morning, Surendran said. Selvaraj today said that he had decided to put in his resignation pained by factionalism in the party and on being targeted by a section in the district party leadership.
He had received no relief despite complaining to the State leadership.
“Normally, factionalism would end once party conferences are over, but it is going on even now. Criticism at all conferences have been focused on a single individual, Selvaraj said.
He said that he considers it better to commit suicide than joining the UDF. He said he quit the MLA post because he was not interested in continuing in the post after quitting from his party, the CPM.
With Selvaraj’s resignation, the strength of the LDF in the Kerala Assembly has fallen to 67 in a House of 140, with a byelection due in the Piravom Assembly constituency on March 17.
He had defeated Congress strongman Thampanoor Ravi by 6,702 votes in the Neyyattinkara constituency in the 2011 May Assembly elections.