CPM expels P Sasi

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In an unconventional move, the CPM state committee on Saturday decided to reject the state secretariat's recommendation on the disciplinary action against senior leader and Kannur former district secretary P Sasi.Instead of oneyear suspension suggested by the secretariat, the state committee decided to expel Sasi from the party.The practice in the CPM is that recommendations of secretariat are accepted by the state committee as such or with mild amendments.The state committee was forced to take a tougher position as there was widespread resentment among its members over the light punishment given to Sasi who was found guilty by a CPM inquiry commission on charges of moral turpitude.It is learnt that even the secretariat stood divided over the award of suspension to Sasi with official group leaders Thomas Isaac and P K Sreemathi joining VS and supporters who demanded expulsion of Sasi when the issue came up for debate on Thursday last.Sources said almost all speakers in the state committee debate wanted stronger punishment for Sasi.Secretaries of Kannur, Kozhikode, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam district committees were among those who demanded that Sasi be expelled as charges involved sexual exploitation of the wife of a DYFI leader.As the CPM had recently accepted a rectification document which deals sternly with such offences, there is no point in diluting the punishment to Sasi, they argued.Intervening in the debate, CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan suggested that the decision of the state secretariat might be reviewed on account of the views of state committee. The state committee then decided to expel Sasi. It was in December, last year, that the CPM removed Sasi as the Kannur district secretary. Though he was given a long leave for undergoing treatment, reports about his misconduct to the wife of a DYFI leader began to appear in the media. Later, V S Achuthanandan categorically confirmed the allegations. An inquiry commission comprising Vaikom Viswan and A Vijayaraghavan, appointed by the CPM state committee, had found Sasi guilty of the charges.But the state secretariat first decided to demote him to branch and then decided to place him under suspension for a year.The state committee also approved the decision of the Kasargod district committee to demote former DYFI leader V V Ramesan to the branch committee.Ramesan had to face severe criticism within the party for securing an NRI MBBS seat for his daughter at Pariyaram Medical College. The decision of the state secretariat to hold CPM state conference in Thiruvananthapuram and 20th party congress in Kozhikode was also approved by the state committee.Organisational election process will begin on September 15 with branch conferences.