Thiruvananthapuram: The Communist Party of India (Marxist) is once again caught in the storm of internal rivalries and allegations, after a complaint addressed to the Politburo by a Chennai-based businessman came into the public domain. The letter, which raises serious charges of financial irregularities, has quickly snowballed into a full-blown controversy, dragging into the spotlight none other than Shyamjith, son of state secretary M.V. Govindan.
The complaint was lodged by Muhammed Sharshad, a native of New Mahe in Kannur and a businessman settled in Chennai. In his letter, Sharshad alleged that UK-based entrepreneur and CPM sympathizer Rajesh Krishna was involved in financial fraud and that several senior party leaders maintained close ties with him. According to Sharshad, it was through Shyamjith that Krishna entered his family circle, only for Shyam to withdraw when disputes emerged.
As the letter circulated widely on WhatsApp groups, CPM leaders rushed to contain the damage. Govindan dismissed the allegations outright, branding them “baseless” and unworthy of a response. Former finance minister Thomas Isaac went further, announcing plans for legal action against Sharshad, whom he accused of spinning a conspiracy after defaulting on loans. Minister M.B. Rajesh echoed this sentiment, remarking that the letter had been doing the rounds for months and lamenting the media’s eagerness to turn it into a spectacle.
Yet, behind the drama lies a deeper fissure. Many within the party see this episode as a continuation of the factional strife that has long haunted Kannur CPM. Only months ago, senior leader P. Jayarajan had questioned the findings of a party inquiry into the controversial Vaidekam resort linked to E.P. Jayarajan. Now, the allegations against Govindan’s son are viewed as another flare-up in this simmering power struggle.
The controversy took another turn when filmmaker P.T. Ratheena, Sharshad’s former wife, broke her silence on Facebook. Calling him a “fraudster,” she accused him of duping people in Kerala and Dubai, warning that none should expect to recover their lost money. She stressed that she had no acquaintance with Govindan or his son and revealed that her divorce was the result of unbearable harassment at Sharshad’s hands.
But Sharshad remains defiant. Speaking to the media, he questioned how Govindan could dismiss his complaint without even confronting his son. He insisted that he had WhatsApp and email exchanges with Shyamjith that prove their connection, adding that several Kerala leaders were entangled in Rajesh Krishna’s financial dealings. Since the letter leaked, he claimed, many CPM leaders themselves had reached out to him privately.
For a party already struggling to project unity, the “letter controversy” has become more than just an embarrassment. It has exposed once again how factional battles in Kannur continue to cast long shadows, drawing even the family members of top leaders into the political crossfire.
