The latest political storm in Kerala revolves around reports that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has asked senior CPM leader and central committee member P.K. Sreemathi not to attend state secretariat meetings.

The CPM leadership has been forced into a defensive posture, struggling to convincingly explain the situation.

Despite public statements from General Secretary M.A. Baby, State Secretary M.V. Govindan, and Sreemathi herself dismissing the idea of a formal ban, none of them provided a clear assurance that she could continue participating in state secretariat meetings. The official explanation was that Sreemathi has been assigned to focus on her national responsibilities under the so-called 'Delhi Mission'.

M.V. Govindan insisted that the arrangement was purely organizational, emphasizing that Sreemathi's role at the national level, particularly with the All India Democratic Women's Association, necessitated her absence from Kerala's state-level activities. He maintained that this was not an instruction from the Chief Minister but a broader party decision.

However, the situation remains murky. Sreemathi clarified that if she happens to be in Kerala during secretariat meetings, she would attend them, but she gave no commitment to being present in the state during those times. Notably, she left Thiruvananthapuram before the secretariat meeting on the 25th and was absent from a dinner hosted by Pinarayi Vijayan, though she returned to attend the state committee meeting on the 26th.

The move to sideline a senior leader like Sreemathi has sparked widespread debate, raising questions about internal party democracy and Pinarayi Vijayan's increasing dominance within the CPM. M.A. Baby also stated there was no "official" ban, but like others, stopped short of confirming her participation in future meetings.