The Communist Party of India (Marxist) in Kerala expelled a senior leader from its Kannur stronghold after he publicly alleged large-scale misappropriation of party funds, triggering an internal crisis for the party ahead of the Assembly elections.
The Kannur district committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Monday, 26 January 2026, expelled V Kunhikrishnan, a district committee member and a party functionary for over five decades, citing indiscipline and actions that allegedly brought disrepute to the party.
Kunhikrishnan had levelled allegations of financial misappropriation amounting to ₹46 lakh against T I Madhusoodanan, the CPI(M) legislator from Payyannur. The allegations related to funds raised for multiple purposes, including support for the family of slain party activist C V Dhanarajan, construction of the Payyannur area committee office, and election-related expenses. Dhanarajan, a CPI(M) worker, was hacked to death in 2016 in an incident the party attributes to BJP-RSS workers.
The controversy has caused significant embarrassment for the CPI(M), particularly as it emerged from Kannur, widely regarded as the party’s citadel in Kerala, and at a time when Assembly elections are approaching.
Announcing the disciplinary action, CPI(M) Kannur district secretary K K Ragesh said the party had already conducted an internal inquiry into the funds in question and concluded that no money had been lost. However, he acknowledged procedural lapses, including the temporary diversion of funds collected for specific purposes and the disappearance of some receipt books used during fund collection. He said appropriate action had been taken against the party office secretary responsible for maintaining accounts.
Ragesh declined to make the party’s financial accounts public, stating that such disclosure was against the party’s organisational line.
Kunhikrishnan, however, maintained that funds collected from various contributors were not properly accounted for and alleged that misappropriation had taken place through inflated land purchase prices and the inclusion of bogus expenses. He pointed out that Madhusoodanan was serving as the Payyannur area secretary of the party during the period when the alleged irregularities occurred.
He further stated that he had repeatedly raised the issue with the party leadership and submitted what he described as documentary evidence, but his complaints were ignored. He is now preparing a book that he claims will expose internal functioning and issues within the CPI(M). Despite instructions from the party leadership to refrain from publishing the book, Kunhikrishnan has refused to back down.
Signs of internal discontent surfaced in Kannur following his expulsion, with posters supporting Kunhikrishnan appearing in CPI(M) strongholds even as senior party leaders publicly criticised him. The situation escalated further after CPI(M) workers allegedly attacked Congress and BJP activists who staged protests against the party in the wake of the revelations. CPI(M) workers also held a protest in front of Kunhikrishnan’s residence.
Source: Deccan Herald
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.
