It may be mentioned that Sreenijan is under a cloud, having been accused of amassing wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income.

Vice-president of the Kerala YC, Mr M Lijju, who belongs to the Vishal I group headed by KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala, has demanded immediate expulsion of Mr Sreejinajn following disclosure that he had amassed wealth through illegal and fraudulent means.

The move is being seen as part of the ongoing rivalry between the A group led by leader of the opposition, Mr Oommen Chandy and Vishal I group in the Kerala unit of the Congress. It is alleged that Mr Sreenijan’s help in the central districts of the State turned the tide in favour of the A group candidate, Mr P C Vishnunathi, who on the election for the Kerala YC president’s post. The rival group headed by M Lijju, who unsuccessfully contested against Mr Vishnunath, has been nursing a grievance against the A group on this score since then.

Significantly, while leader of the opposition, Mr Oommen Chandy has gone on record that he is not opposed to a probe into the charges against Mr Sreenijan, KPCC chief Ramesh Chennithala has so far maintained a studied silence on the issue.

The issue has acquired a new dimension with Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan directing the Kerala Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan to order a vigilance probe against Mr Sreenijan.

The CM’s decision is at odds with the official stand of the CPI(M), which has sided with the ex-CJI, Justice K G Balakrishnan. So much so that the official organ of the Kerala CPI(M), Deshabhimani refused to publish a report on Kerala DYFI president M B Rajesh’s statement demanding action against Mr Sreenijan. The daily also ignored a statement made by another Kerala CPI(M) leader, M V Jayarajan on the same issue.

Incidentally, the Supreme Court had confirmed that Kerala CPI(M) secretary Pinarayi Vijayan’s application challenging the permission granted by the Kerala Governor to prosecute him in the SNS-Lavalin case, had been scheduled for urgent orders following a direction from the former CJI, Justice K G Balakrishnan. (IPA)