Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 15 (IANS): A rift emerged in the Idukki district unit of Kerala's ruling CPI-M when former State Minister M.M. Mani on Tuesday slammed former three-time legislator S.Rajendran for his absence from party meetings at his locality and went to the extent of threatening him with expulsion from the party.

Mani, a two-time legislator, attending the party meeting organised by the CPI-M's Marayoor wing - to which Rajendran is attached, said this defiance cannot be tolerated.

"Rajendran was made a legislator for three terms (Devikulam Assembly constituency) besides he had a term as the President of the Idukki district panchayat. What more should our party give. He should have attended this meeting and the various other meetings which are part of the party regime," said Mani, who is known for his razor sharp tongue.

The CPI-M has set up a probe by the party committee against Rajendran after reports surfaced that he did not give his full effort into the campaign of the party candidate who had replaced Rajendran at the Devikulam constituency and the margin of victory also had come down.

"Yes, a committee is probing his conduct, but even if he is exonerated, he should have attended this meeting. We do not have a clue of where he is and this is not right on the part of Rajendran to do this," added Mani, who is also a legislator from the hilly district of Idukki, which is home to numerous tea plantations.

The CPI-M is having its various committee meetings which is held ahead of the party state conference that's held once in three years and this time it will be held in Ernakulum in February.