Pembilai Orumai officeMunnar: The simmering factional feud between two groups of ‘Pembilai Orumai,' a collective of woman plantation workers in Munnar, has escalated with the two groups waging a bitter battle for control of the organization and its office building.
The internal fight between the factions owing allegiance to Gomathi Augustine and Lissy Sunny, co-founders of the organization, escalated after the group supporting Gomathi pulled itself out of the 20-day hunger strike demanding the resignation of power minister M. M. Mani over the derogatory remarks he made against them.
Both the factions have approached the local police to stake claim over the collective’s office in Munnar town, which is currently under the control of the faction led by Lissy Sunny.
A day after the hunger strike spearheaded by the Gomathi faction seeking the minister’s resignation was called off, Rajeswari, the outfit's secretary, who had accompanied Gomathi in the strike, allegedly locked up the office building.
Refusing to give up, Lissy lodged a police complaint alleging that an amount of Rs. 97,000, important files, documents and receipts kept in the office were missing.
Subsequently, the faction led by Gomathi claimed that a decision was taken at the executive committee meeting on April 16 to oust Lissy and treasurer Stella Mary from the organization.
The faction’s leaders also stated that the action against the two were initiated after they allegedly swindled the organization’s funds amounting to Rs.1.55 lakh. Kousalya, who was the vice-president of the organization, was appointed president, replacing Lissy.
Lissy said she still remained the president of the collective and the office was registered in the name of the state treasurer of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP).
With the power tussle being dragged to the police station, the police instructed the factions to produce documents to support their claims.
The Munnar police said a case would be registered after recording statements of both parties.
The police had booked AAP state treasurer Paul Joseph on Lissy’s complaint and the latter on a petition filed by Gomathi.
