Palakkad: Veteran Communist Party of India (CPI) leader K.E. Ismail has strongly objected to his exclusion from the party’s State conference in Alappuzha. Ismail, who has attended every State conference since 1968, described the decision as an injustice to his decades of service and loyalty.
The 78-year-old leader, once regarded as the public face of the CPI in Kerala, said he was deeply aggrieved by being sidelined. “I have lived my life as a communist without any allegation of corruption. I do not know why I am still being excluded,” he told reporters.
According to party insiders, the exclusion followed suggestions from the CPI’s Palakkad district leadership. Ismail was earlier denied participation in the district conference held at Vadakkanchery. His absence from both forums has raised questions among supporters about the treatment of senior leaders with long-standing contributions.
Ismail highlighted his lifelong commitment to the CPI, recalling his consistent presence during both the party’s victories and setbacks. His removal from the current State conference marks a break in a record that spanned nearly five decades.
In a symbolic gesture, Ismail recently visited Valiya Chudukadu in Alappuzha, the historic burial site of Communist stalwarts like P. Krishna Pillai and V.S. Achuthanandan. Supporters noted that the visit underlined his continued emotional and ideological bond with the party’s legacy.
Political observers believe the episode reflects deeper internal divisions within the CPI’s Kerala unit, where generational and district-level leadership tussles influence key decisions.
