Senior CPI(M) leader E P Jayarajan has once again found himself at the centre of controversy, this time over leaked excerpts from his purported autobiography, “Black Tea and Parippu Vada – Life of a Communist.”
The incident has left the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) on the defensive as Kerala holds by-elections for the Lok Sabha and Assembly, raising questions about internal party dynamics and timing.
On Wednesday, DC Books, a prominent Kerala publishing house, posted promotional content on social media announcing the upcoming release of Jayarajan’s autobiography. The post displayed the book’s cover and suggested that excerpts from the book had been leaked.
Soon after, as the leaked content circulated widely, DC Books announced a temporary delay in the book’s release, citing technical issues. This delay followed increasing backlash over excerpts that appeared critical of the CPI(M) and its political strategies, casting a shadow over the party during a sensitive election period.
Jayarajan, a CPI(M) central committee member, denied releasing the book’s draft to any publisher and expressed frustration over the alleged leak. He clarified that he was still in the process of writing his autobiography and claimed he had entrusted the task to a trusted journalist.
The leaked draft, around 180 pages, nearly matched the 200 pages he claimed to have completed, adding to suspicions about its authenticity. Jayarajan subsequently lodged a complaint with the state police chief, questioning DC Books’ handling of the material and its promotional posts.
In response, DC Books issued a public statement but refrained from offering detailed comments, suggesting that it would clarify its stance at a later stage. Jayarajan’s team also sent a legal notice to the publishing house, requesting that all promotional material related to the autobiography be withdrawn.
According to the purported draft, Jayarajan intended to publish the autobiography after the by-polls to avoid controversy. The leaked content criticises what he describes as the CPI(M)’s “opportunistic politics,” pointing to specific election strategies, including its support for P Sarin, an independent candidate in the Palakkad by-election who had previously aligned with the Congress.
Jayarajan questions whether such candidates, who switch affiliations, are motivated by genuine political alignment or personal gains, suggesting that these choices could ultimately harm the party.