Thiruvananthapuram, June 28 : A day after a former youth CPI-M leader in Kannur slammed veteran party leader P. Jayarajan, the Kerala Police on Friday announced to give protection to his house and business establishments.

Jayarajan is a former legislator and Secretary of the Kannur CPI-M district committee.

On Thursday, Manu Thomas, who was reportedly ousted from the party's Kannur district committee recently, went live on a leading Malayalam news channel accusing Jayarajan's son Jain Raj of controlling a gang engaged in illegal gold business.

Thomas also said that until recently, he headed the party's youth wing and was a member of the powerful Kannur district committee, but he is practically out of the party now after he failed to renew his membership.

He said he is unhappy with what's happening in his party in Kannur as, despite reminders, no one took note of what he was saying.

The decision to provide protection to Thomas came after an intelligence report was sent to the higher-ups in the police department.

Thomas, a resident of Kannur, runs a cake-making unit along with his friends.

The issue was also raised in the state Assembly on Friday with the Congress-led UDF seeking to move an adjournment motion on the revelations made by Thomas, saying since Jayarajan is the Vice Chairman of the state-run Kerala State Khadi and Village Industries Board, this issue needs to be discussed.

However, Speaker A.N.Shamseer, who also hails from Kannur, disallowed the plea. Following this, the UDF staged a walkout led by Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan, claiming what they have been saying about the 'undesirable' activities of some of CPI-M leaders has now been endorsed by Thomas.

'We have been saying all through that the present CPI-M in Kerala is not even a shade of what it was in the past. Today, the party is backing those who engage in all sorts of shady activities, ranging from gold smuggling to drugs and supporting the mafia. Things are in a bad shape in the Kerala unit of the CPI-M,' Satheesan said.

Meanwhile, the Kannur district committee of the Congress on Friday extended an open invite to Thomas to join the party. Thomas has also reportedly received a similar invite from the BJP.

The developments came just before the crucial three-day meeting of the CPI-M central committee and politburo commenced in Delhi on Friday.

/IANS