'We are disciplined members,' says Chitharanjan after demotion by CPM

Alappuzha: PP Chitharanjan MLA said that he is a disciplined party member and decision on his recent demotion will be announced by the party secretary. His reactions were in the light of CPM initiating disciplinary actions against him and a few other leaders for factionalism in Alappuzha.

He was demoted after a meeting of CPM district secretariat on Monday, in which party State secretary MV Govindan was also present.

The party also demoted M Sathyapalan, alongside Chitharanjan, to the district committee from the district secretariat on Monday and expelled its area committee member A Shanavas, who has been facing charges of drug trafficking.

The meeting also decided to disband the Alappuzha South, Alappuzha North, and Haripad area committees and will censure those found to be engaged in factionalism. The rebuke is based on a report by an internal probe committee.

A district committee will discuss and finalise the district secretariat's decisions on Tuesday. Govindan will attend the district committee meeting in a short while.

The district committee also merged the Alappuzha South and North area committees and formed an ad-hoc committee with the district secretariat member, CB Chandrababu, as its secretary.

Haripad district secretariat member KH Babujan will be in charge of the secretary.