CPM leader and Alappuzha district panchayat member Bipin C Babu joins BJP

Thiruvananthapuram: Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM) leader Bipin C Babu has resigned from the Left party and joined the BJP on Saturday. The news comes amid reports of internal disputes within the party during its ongoing conferences ahead of the state convention.

Bipin, who was a member of the CPM Alappuzha area committee and the district panchayat representing Krishnapuram division, formally joined the BJP on Saturday, reported PTI. He received his membership from BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh in the presence of senior state leaders during a leadership meeting.

Bipin has held key roles in local governance and party organisations, including vice president of the Alappuzha district panchayat, president of the Muthukulam block panchayat, and president of the DYFI and SFI district units in Alappuzha.

After joining the BJP, Bipin accused the CPM of straying from its secular principles. "A few communal forces are leading the party now, and it has become an outfit of a particular section," he said. He also credited the development initiatives under Prime Minister Narendra Modi for influencing his decision to join the BJP.

Bipin further criticised the sidelining of senior CPM leader G Sudhakaran, calling it a significant factor in his decision to quit. "The situation of senior leader G Sudhakaran, who is one of the country's foremost social activists and one of the best ministers who have served the state for many years, is very pitiable," Bipin said.

Bipin also clarified that his decision to join the BJP was not motivated by aspirations for positions and announced plans to resign from the district panchayat soon.

BJP state president K Surendran alleged that the CPM in Alappuzha is in the throes of severe internal strife. "The saffron party has made significant inroads into CPM strongholds in Vayalar and Punnapra during the Lok Sabha elections, delivering a major blow to the party," he added.

Surendran also accused the CPM of harbouring mafia elements and sections of the Popular Front of India (PFI), attributing these factors to the party's decline. "Senior leaders like G Sudhakaran are speaking out against this, posing a significant challenge to the CPM," he said, adding that more people will join the BJP.

Referring to former BJP spokesperson Sandeep Varier's recent defection to the Congress, Surendran remarked, "When some waste goes out, pure water flows into the BJP."