Malappuram (Kerala) March 4 (IANS): Kanam Rajendran was on Sunday unanimously elected for a second three-year term as the Kerala secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI).

The 67-year-old veteran trade union leader is a former two-time legislator. Rajendran first became the secretary at the Kottayam state conference in 2015, and on Sunday he was given another term.

There is a section in the party which is opposed to Rajendran and is headed by former Kerala Minister and former Rajya Sabha member K.E. Ismail. They tried to put up a candidate against Rajendran but failed after former Kerala Minister and senior legislator C. Divakaran withdrew from the contest after initially agreeing to it.

Divakaran decided to back out after he felt that the best way to maintain unity in the party was to avoid a contest.

Later, speaking to the media, Rajendran said he will continue to promote the need for Left unity.

"I will also be very careful and cautious as I go forward as the state secretary. Those who are unhappy with what is happening, can approach the higher bodies in our party," said Rajendran, dropping hints that his detractors in the party will be after him.

The CPI is the second biggest ally in the ruling Pinarayi Vijayan government.

Rajendran has time and again taken up cudgels against Vijayan and the latest grouse is on aligning with the Congress. While the CPI is keen to have an electoral tie-up with the Congress, the Vijayan faction in the CPI-M is dead against it.