CPM suspends leader for praising Modi

The CPI(M) has suspended its Maharashtra Secretary Narasayya Adam for three months from the party for his praise of Prime Minister Narendra Modi during a public event two months ago.

The decision was taken at the two-day party Central Committee meeting that ended on Monday where a section of the leaders insisted that action be taken against Adam.

Sources indicated that Adam, a former MLA, had supported CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury when the party was divided over the question of its relationship with Congress and this played a part in the disciplinary action.

"The Central Committee of the CPI(M) decided to suspend CC member and its Maharashtra secretary, Comrade Narasayya Adam, from the Central Committee for three months. This is a consequence of his speech at a public event in Solapur in the presence of the Prime Minister and state Chief Minister which hurt the Party’s image," a party communique said. Yechury also announced the party decision in a press conference on Monday.

In December last year, the CPI(M) had removed G V Sreerama Reddy from the post of Karnataka Secretary and Central Committee member following charges of "serious misconduct". Reddy was also considered close to Yechury.

Sources said Adam would be back in the party before the next Central Committee meeting in June or July and would work for it in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. "There were some heartburns. We had to take some action," a senior leader said.

While the CPI(M) communique did not provide details, sources said Adam had praised Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis for ensuring the completion of a housing project for beedi workers in Solapur.

While the project did not get the required clearance for long, Modi had laid the foundation stone for the construction of 30,000 houses under the Prime Minister Awas Yojna in the country’s biggest beedi workers’ colony.

At the function, sources said Adam was effusive in his praise of Modi and said that the beneficiaries would be thankful for him. Sources said Adam was carried away as he was working on the project. They claimed he did not effectively project the efforts taken by the CPI(M)-backed union to realise the project.

The CPI(M)-backed CITU had initiated the project and in 2006 it had completed the construction of around 15,000 houses. This was inaugurated by then Prime Minister Manmohan Singh while the second batch of houses were constructed in 2015. In the latest edition, around 30,000 houses are being built.