Jayarajan rallies for Sarin a day after autobiography row

On Thursday, at a public meeting in Palakkad, the senior CPI(M) leader called Sarin an ‘ideal’ candidate for the party who had resigned from civil service to engage in public service.

Kochi: Senior CPI(M) leader EP Jayarajan on Thursday campaigned for the party candidate P Sarin for the Palakkad bypoll, a day after a controversy broke out over ‘fake’ excerpts of his autobiography tumbling out in the local media.

On Thursday, at a public meeting in Palakkad, the senior CPI(M) leader called Sarin an ‘ideal’ candidate for the party who had resigned from civil service to engage in public service. (HT PHOTO)

Jayarajan, a member of the CPM’s central committee and former convenor of the LDF who was unceremoniously pushed out from the position following the controversy over his alleged private meeting with BJP state-in-charge Prakash Javadekar, had termed the excerpts circulating in the local media ‘fake’ and added that he was still writing his autobiography.

In those “fake” excerpts, Jayarajan purpotedly referred to Sarin, a former Congress leader who defected to CPI(M) ahead of the bypoll, as an ‘opportunist’, raising questions about the party’s choice. HT could not verify the veracity of the posts.

On Thursday, at a public meeting in Palakkad, the senior CPI(M) leader called Sarin an ‘ideal’ candidate for the party who had resigned from civil service to engage in public service.

“But even as he worked and drew a high salary, he desired to work among the people more actively. He quit his job and shifted to social service. It was clear that he had a Left outlook and perspective. He engaged closely with farmers, labourers and other sections of society,” said the CPM leader, praising the party candidate.

However, Jayarajan could not make a long speech as heavy rain interrupted the meeting, forcing him to make a quick exit at the open-air event.

Hours earlier, Jayarajan at a press conference reiterated that the excerpts that came out on Wednesday were not from his autobiography and that he had not struck a deal with DC Books, the publishing house on whose Facebook page the cover photo of the book had been publicised. He said he hoped the police would conduct a swift probe based on the complaint he sent to the DGP to uncover the ‘conspiracy’ behind the incident. He added that he had also sent a legal notice to DC Books, asking to explain how they announced his book.

Meanwhile, VD Satheesan of the Congress alleged that Jayarajan was directed by the CPI(M) to campaign for Sarin in light of the autobiography row. “Otherwise, why did he not campaign for Sarin till now?” he asked.

Satheesan also alleged that no publishing house can fabricate an autobiography and that the excerpts that came out on Wednesday were written by Jayarajan himself.