Political murder may unravel Kerala CPM

KOCHI: CPM is facing a crisis in Kerala, following the arrest of its party workers in the TP Chandrashekharan murder case. Though CPM leaders denied the party's involvement in the murder, the arrests have rendered their claim meaningless. The investigation team took into custody three more people on Thursday in connection with the murder of rebel CPM leader TP Chandrashekharan.

While one of them, Manoj, is a CPM branch secretary, the other two are CPM workers. KC Ramachandran and Padayankandy Ravindran, local committee members from Kunnumakkara and Orkattery, respectively, have already been arrested. The police are trying to find out whether more people are involved in the conspiracy to kill Chandrashekharan.

Meanwhile, Union minister of state for home, Mullapally Ramachandran, said that those who had been nabbed by the police in the TP Chandrashekharan murder case were 'small fish'. "The big sharks behind the conspiracy are yet to be nabbed," he said. KPCC chief Ramesh Chennithala added that CPM general secretary Prakash Karat should give his opinion on the issue. The KPCC chief went on a day-long 'fast for peace' at Vadakara on Thursday.

However, CPM leaders alleged that Congress ministers from the state and Centre were interfering in police investigation. Congress leaders' 'propaganda' against CPM seemed to be influencing the investigation team, they alleged. A party spokesman also added that anyone found to be involved in the crime would be expelled.

Several CPM workers have reportedly severed links with the party following the murder of Chandrashekharan. As a mark of protest against CPM, writer KP Sudheera resigned from the Bank Employees Federation of India.