Payyannur, March 30 – In a development that has added fresh intensity to the election battle in Payyannur, former CPI(M) leader, V. Kunjikrishnan, now an independent backed by the UDF led by the Congress, publicly released what he claims is documentary evidence of fund misappropriation linked to a collection for a martyr's family.
On Monday, Kunjikrishnan shared bank statements and internal account records on social media to substantiate his allegation that Rs 5 lakh was diverted from the 'Comrade Dhanaraj Family Assistance Fund' to the personal account of a former area secretary.
He claimed that the transfer took place on July 9, 2018, from an account held at the Payyannur Rural Bank main branch.
This move comes amid continued denial from the local CPI(M) leadership, which has maintained throughout the campaign that no financial irregularities have occurred and that no party funds have been lost.
Challenging this claim, Kunjikrishnan said he was prepared to present "undeniable evidence" to the public, asserting that he had been earlier entrusted by the party itself to examine the accounts.
"If the argument is that evidence should speak, I am ready to present it," he said, adding that attempts may be made to justify the transactions, but "the truth will stand above all explanations."
He also warned that more documents could be released if efforts were made to "suppress facts."
The controversy centers around funds collected in the name of the slain party worker, Dhanaraj, meant to support the martyr's family.
Kunjikrishnan alleged that even such collections had not been spared, calling it a "betrayal" of party workers, families, and supporters.
He said copies of the bank statement and expenditure details submitted before party committees had been made public, asking what further proof was needed for the party, the media, and the people to acknowledge the alleged irregularities.
The CPI(M) is yet to respond in detail to the latest disclosures.
The issue has added a sharp edge to the contest in Payyannur, where Kunjikrishnan is taking on sitting CPI(M) legislator T.I. Madhusoodhan.
With corruption emerging as a key talking point, the controversy is likely to influence voter sentiment in the constituency as campaigning enters its final stretch.
Next door to Payyannur is another top former CPI-M leader, T.K. Govindan, who was ousted for questioning the candidature of CPI-M state secretary M.V. Govindan's wife at Taliparambu, who is contesting with the support of the UDF.
Both these rebel incidents have rocked the Kannur CPI(M), which is the strongest district in the country for the red party.