Kannur: Kerala Industries Minister E P Jayarajan's decision to quit electoral politics has not gone down well with the CPM leadership in the state.

Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan suggested that the central committee member had stepped out of communist principles by announcing the decision without consulting the party. Politburo member S Ramachandran Pillai said the party would take up the matter for discussion.

Jayarajan's statement is seen as confusing the cadre at a time when the party is campaigning for another term in power. Party leaders view this as a protest against the decision to implement a norm to limit the number of terms for elected representatives to two.

Senior CPM leaders including Jayarajan and his cabinet colleagues T M Thomas Isaac and A K Balan could not contest as per the norm.

Though the decision to quit is a personal one, Jayarajan did not consult the party before the announcement. He said that he would not contest any election from now. He also said that he would convince the party if he were asked to reconsider the decision.

Jayarajan was replaced by central committee member and health minister K K Shailaja as the party candidate in the Mattannur assembly constituency, which had elected him for two terms. Jayarajan's showering of praise on the chief minister is seen as sarcasm that reflects the fissures within the party leadership in Kannur.

"E P Jayarajan said that in response to a question," Pinarayi said. "Communists would have personal opinions, but the party will take the final decision. Everyone will go by that decision. That is the communist style," he said.

"The party has not discussed E P Jayarajan's statement that he will not contest elections anymore. Let us discuss that before we can say anything on it," Pillai said.