Kanam Rajendran elected new secretary of CPI in Kerala

KOTTAYAM: Senior CPI leader Kanam Rajendran was elected new secretary of party's Kerala unit at the end of the five-day conference here today.

Addressing the media, Rajendran said he was "unanimously" elected as CPI state secretary after the Central leadership suggested his name for the post in the meeting of the newly elected state council of the party.

He also rejected reports that the CPI's Central leadership intervened to avoid a possible showdown between him and a senior CPI leader for the state secretary's post.

Reports had said there was strong difference of opinion between Rajendran and Ismail, both national executive members, and Ismail will contest against Rajendran for the secretary's post.

Rajendran succeeded Pannian Ravindran as state secretary. Ravindran was elevated to the post of secretary after the demise of C K Chandrappan in March 2012.

Ahead of the conference, Ravindran had announced that he was quitting the secretary's post.