Kerala: Congress targets CPM, Palakkad candidate Sarin after Jayarajan book leak

The Congress in Kerala has mocked both the ruling CPI(M) and Left candidate P Sarin over the media leak of a book purportedly written by veteran Marxist leader EP Jayarajan that paints Sarin in a poor light.

Congress leader VD Satheesan said on Thursday (November 14) that Jayarajan’s sudden decision to campaign for Sarin in the Palakkad Assembly election was obviously on account of pressure from the CPI(M) leadership following the book leak that has seriously embarrassed the Marxists.

Satheesan flays Jayarajan

Satheesan said Jayarajan now campaigning for Sarin, a former digital media convener of the Congress, will not change what the CPI(M) leader said about the Left candidate in the purported autobiography that has sparked a political storm in Kerala.

He said Jayarajan was probably directed by the CPI(M) to campaign in Palakkad. "Otherwise, why did he (Jayarajan) not campaign for Sarin till now?" Satheesan said in Palakkad.

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Jayarajan embarrasses party

The contents of the purported book by Jayarajan leaked by the media criticise the CPI(M) decision to remove Jayarajan as the Left Democratic Front (LDF) convenor and the party’s choice to field Sarin as the LDF independent candidate in Palakkad.

Sarin was removed from the Congress following his public expression of discontent over the party's decision to select Youth Congress state president Rahul Mamkootathil as the candidate in Palakkad.

After the media leak, a furious Jayarajan dubbed the book a "forgery" and lodged a police complaint. He claimed he had not completed writing the book, and issued a legal notice to the publisher.

Congress attacks CPI(M) politics

Satheesan said: "He (Jayarajan) has termed Sarin an 'opportunist' in the book. It was not added there by the publisher. Everyone with common sense knows it was written by Jayarajan.

"It is unfortunate for him that he has to come here and campaign for such a person. But that is politics," the opposition leader said.

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A controversial Marxist leader

Satheesan said there was no need for a well-known publisher to make up an autobiography in Jayarajan's name and that the book was actually written by the CPI(M) leader.

Jayarajan, a central committee member of the party, was removed as the LDF convener followed allegations about his meeting with BJP Kerala in-charge Prakash Javadekar. Jayarajan has denied the meeting ever took place.