CPM orders probe as CITU leader brings home a MINI Cooper

Kochi: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) frowns upon extravagant, lavish lifestyle by party leaders at all levels. The party code of conduct states "if a comrade has wealth disproportionate to his known source of income then that brings disgrace and bad name to the party as a whole." A State-level leader of its trade union, CITU, has now embarrassed the Marxists by buying luxury hatchback MINI Cooper which costs Rs 50 lakh.

P K Anil Kumar, who is the Kerala State general secretary of the Petroleum and Gas Workers’ Union, is being widely panned online for bringing home this premium car. This Union is affiliated to the CITU or the Centre of Indian Trade Unions.

Anil Kumar has claimed that his wife, who is an employee of the Indian Oil Corporation (OIL), has bought the vehicle.

"The vehicle was bought by complying with established norms," he stated.

A picture on Anil Kumar taking delivery of the car has spread on social media. A comment below the picture reads: “leaders of the workers’ party have a craving for Mini Cooper”.

The CPM has launched an investigation following the controversy. Earlier, Anil Kumar had hit the headlines after publicly threatening the woman owner of a gas agency at Kuzhupilly in Vypeen, Kochi. MINI Cooper is a coveted four-seater car from BMW-owned British luxury MINI.