Lok Sabha elections: CPM busy giving Jayarajan a makeover

KOZHIKODE: While LDF candidate P Jayarajan was submitting his nomination papers, the members of the Youth Brigade in his native place Pattiam in Kannur, were busy donating blood for the Malabar Cancer Centre and Thalassery government hospital.
On the same day, Youth Brigade members in Pullyode near Thalassery undertook the task of cleaning a pond in the area.
The campaign managers of the LDF candidate in Vadakara are carefully redrafting the public image of Jayarajan from a ‘ruthless politician’ to a caring social activist and humanitarian. The Youth Brigade was formed on his suggestion, he said in his Facebook post. Before proceeding to file the nomination, Jayarajan visited the Initiative of Rehabilitation and Palliative Care (IRPC) established by the CPM in Kannur.
The UDF has been harping on his alleged role in the murder of IUML worker Ariyil Shukkur and his affinity with the accused in the Shuhaib murder. So, realising the danger of the campaign at the hustings, Jayarajan has been careful to give a special stress on the Muslim voters. Part of the amount for Jayarajan’s election deposit was handed over to him by Ekkandy Ayesha, a member of the Muslim family in Thalassery.
Jayarajan’s detractors see these activities as a desperate drama. “Such gimmicks cannot fool public. He was presented as a lion, now the CPM wanted to portray him as a lamb,” said RMPI leader K S Hariharan, adding that the party will launch door-todoor campaigns exposing him.