After CPM censure, PK Sasi likely to resign as KTDC chairman today

Palakkad: Taking serious note of the party fund scam allegations, the CPM has decided to take firm action against P K Sasi, a party strongman from Palakkad, by removing him from all official positions of the organisation. Following this, Sasi, who currently serves as the chairman of the Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC), is also expected to submit his resignation from the position on Monday. 

The decision to remove Sasi from the party roles was made during a district committee meeting chaired by CPM state secretary M V Govindan. Sasi was the district president of the CITU and was a member of the party's district committee. In addition to being stripped of these roles, he will also be demoted to the branch committee.

Previously, Sasi had been demoted from the party's district secretariat to the district committee following allegations of divisive activities. Complaints against him continued to pile up, prompting the party to investigate allegations regarding the misuse of funds collected for the Universal College under the Mannarkkad Cooperative Education Society. A party inquiry commission was set up to probe these accusations. The investigation revealed that Rs. 5.49 crore had been mobilised as shares from cooperative banks under CPM control, without the knowledge of party leadership.

The party's action against Sasi follows the inquiry commission's confirmation of fund misuse. Additionally, there are indications that the Mannarkkad area committee of the CPM has been disbanded due to escalating factionalism. These developments were reported during the district committee meeting.

Sasi, a former MLA from Shoranur, had previously been suspended from the district secretariat for six months after being accused of sexual misconduct involving a woman leader from the DYFI. He was eventually reinstated to both the district committee and the district secretariat.