KANNUR: Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has publicly criticized EP Jayarajan’s close association with Dallal Nandakumar, stating that “even Shiva becomes a sinner if he joins a sinner.” This remark is seen as a strong indication that action against Jayarajan is imminent. Although Jayarajan has been embroiled in controversies for some time, his critics within the party have been hesitant to act, largely due to his close ties with Vijayan.

Jayarajan has had previous fallouts with the party, but each time he was persuaded to stay. However, the party suffered a setback when Jayarajan openly admitted to meeting with Union Minister Prakash Javadekar on the day of the Lok Sabha polls.

Just before the party’s branch meetings, Jayarajan was stripped of his seat. Following party protocol, no action is expected until after the state conference, indicating that this decision was premeditated.

Jayarajan’s troubles began when he was a minister, as his support from the “Kannur lobby” started to wane due to his appointment of relatives to key positions. Reports suggest that it was P. Jayarajan who first raised allegations in the state committee about EP Jayarajan’s illegal acquisition of property under the guise of an Ayurvedic resort.

After the deaths of prominent CPM leaders Pinarayi Vijayan and Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, EP Jayarajan was a key figure in the party. However, his relationship with the party soured when he was not appointed party secretary following Kodiyeri’s death. His exclusion from the Politburo further widened the gap.

In the last Lok Sabha elections, despite his status as a state-level coordinator, Jayarajan was limited to overseeing election duties in the Kasaragod constituency. His decision to withdraw from the LDF’s popular resistance march, led by M.V. Govindan, citing health issues and his subsequent appearance in Kochi to pay respects to the mother of the controversial Dallal Nandakumar, were seen as acts of defiance by Jayarajan.