P.K. Sasi stays away from Govindan’s march

Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] dissident leader and Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) chairperson P.K. Sasi stayed away from the north Kerala leg of the Left Democratic Front’s (LDF) Vikasana Munnetta Jatha being led by party State secretary M.V. Govindan when the march reached the district on Sunday.

Addressing the media here, Mr. Govindan said that Mr. Sasi remained in the party’s branch committee after his demotion because he had issues with the party leadership.

Mr. Govindan said that he would not say what the government would testify in the court about the Sabarimala issue. He said women were allowed to enter Sabarimala when the court directed.

He described the audit report on global Ayyappa meet as flawed and incomplete, and said that he would respond only when the full report is out.

Mr. Govindan said that the Samastha Kerala Jamiyyathul Ulama’s stance against religious nationalism and political Islam served as a warning to Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan and Indian Union Muslim League national general secretary P.K. Kunhalikutty against their cosying up with Jamaat-e-Islami.