Efforts on to end factional feud in Kerala CPI(M): Vijayan

Kozhikode, Aug 13: The Communist Party of India (Marxist), heading the Left Democratic Front Government in Kerala, today said serious efforts were on to end the ongoing factional feud in the State unit.

Talking to newspersons here, party State Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan said the party state committee, which concluded a three-day meet at Thiruvananthapuram yesterday, took a dim view of the issue and resolved to take stringent action against those involved in such activities.

Describing the factionalism gripping the CPI(M) as a ''cancer'', he said the party would benefit if it was able to end the menace.

The party Politburo also took a serious view of the matter and formulated guidelines to bring an end to the issue forthwith.

However, he blamed a section of the media for highlighting the issue out of proportion.

Mr Vijayan said the party had observed that a ''clique,'' with a separate agenda, was working against the party to tarnish its image.

Reiterating his stand that the Kairali TV was not a party channel, he said ''it is a separate outfit'' like other Malayalam channels and the party had no control over its functioning.

Claiming that it was a people's venture formulated by about two lakh shareholders in the country and abroad, he, however, said the party had extended full support to the satellite channel.

On whether the recent controversial interview with businessman Pharris Aboobacker aired by the channel had the approval of the party, he said ''it was for the Board of Directors of the channel to look into it.'' On the health scenario, Mr Vijayan said the meeting also resolved to undertake a statewide campaign to create awareness among the people on cleanliness to prevent increasing communicable diseases in the State. All the massorganisations of the party would be involved in the exercise, he added.

The meet also decided to hold district committee meetings from November 30 to January 21, 2008, prior to the Party State Conference slated from February 11 to 14, 2008, at Kottayam, he added.

UNI