CPM member denied seat for liking anti-CM post, to contest as independent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM has denied a party ticket to its member B Sreekantan Nair, who represents a ward in Pullampara grama panchayat, after he came under the partys radar during the Lok Sabha election time, for liking a social media post that criticised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. After the issue resurfaced before the partys higher-ups recently, Sreekantan Nair was instructed not to participate in the local polls this time. However, Nair resigned from the party on November 11 and decided to contest from the Muthipara ward of the panchayat as an independent. I had provided a proper explanation to the party on the issue at that time itself. Apparently, somebody from the party wrote to the state committee about my candidature, causing a string of incidents, he said. Sreekantan Nair, who was elected from the Muthipara ward in the 2015-20 polls, expressed confidence about his chances in the election. A party member from the Pullampara area, however, said that discussions were active to not consider members who had won two consecutive times, and Sreekantan Nair could not be considered owing to this.