CPI's district conferences have seen mounting attacks on Rajendran, and criticism of Vijayan's authoritarian functioning.
Published Sep 02, 2022 | 1:59 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 02, 2022 | 2:12 PM
CPI State Secretary Kanam Rajendran with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. (KB Jayachandran/South First)
With grassroots leaders attending the ongoing district-level conferences of the Communist Party of India (CPI) accusing the ruling LDF government of Pinarayi Vijayan of showmanship and reducing constituent parties of the front and their ministers to irrelevance, Left politics in Kerala finds itself at the crossroads.
The second-largest constituent of the ruling coalition, CPI’s four ministers handle the crucial portfolios of revenue, agriculture, civil supplies, and animal husbandry. The deputy speaker’s post in the state Assembly also belongs to CPI.
The party has so far held district conferences in 11 of the state’s 14 districts, and is busy preparing for its end-September state conference in Thiruvananthapuram.
In all the district conferences held so far, delegates have attacked CPI State Secretary Kanam Rajendran, who, according to them, is being subservient to the LDF’s largest constituent, the CPI(M).
The mounting criticism at the meetings indicates the eroding support for Rajendran and the possibility of the party preferring someone who can take Vijayan head-on. In meetings in Pathanamthitta, Idukki and Ernakulam, delegates termed Rajendran a “slave” of Vijayan and the CPI(M).
Calling Vijayan an authoritarian who is least concerned about the hopes and aspirations of the constituent parties, the delegates wondered why Rajendran was preventing the CPI from playing its role as a corrective force.
CPI State Secretary Kanam Rajendran at the Thiruvananthapuram District Committee meeting. (Supplied)
The meetings are also witnessing scathing attacks against the four ministers for their poor performance and inability to uphold party policies whenever Vijayan initiates controversial or conflicting administrative measures.
While the remaining district conferences will now take place after the Onam festivities are over, the emerging picture is that the state conference could see a showdown between supporters and opponents of Rajendran over the issue of Vijayan hijacking the LDF machinery.
A leader from the party’s traditional stronghold Kollam, who preferred anonymity, told South First that he didn’t know why Rajendran was playing second fiddle to the chief minister and backing his every action.
In the first Vijayan government’s initial days, Rajendran had earned a reputation for being a corrective force by being scathingly critical of the chief minister and his Cabinet whenever they erred.
Vijayan remained the focal point of criticism at all the CPI district conferences, and delegates accused the CPI(M) of being reduced to a private enterprise wholly owned and operated by Vijayan.
At the Ernakulam conference, half a dozen delegates even equated Vijayan with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
They said two have striking similarities, especially in reducing the rest of the Cabinet to insignificance and concentrating all power in their hands.
Leaders said no communist leader in India had used PR agencies like Vijayan has to boost his image.
The CPI is particularly upset with the projection of the LDF government as the Pinarayi Vijayan government in publicity material issued by the Information and Public Relations Department, which is handled directly by Vijayan. Pictures and hoardings carrying Vijayan’s image can be seen everywhere in the state.
The political evaluation report adopted by the Pathanamthitta district conference warned against CPI(M) ‘s deliberate branding of the government as Pinarayi’s government.
In each district conference, the CPI cadre reminded the leadership that late leaders Veliyam Bhargavan and CK Chandrappan strongly defended the party and its cause whenever they confronted the CPI(M).
Rajendran’s refusal to support CPI national leader Annie Raja, who came out openly against CPI(M) leader MM Mani for his derogatory remarks against woman legislator KK Rama, also invited sharp criticism in the party meetings.
Leaders have also wanted the party to stand against the controversial Silver Line Project mooted by Vijayan. The party also criticised Vijayan’s intolerance of protestors using black flags against him.
“Waving black flags is a mode of protest used by political parties for a long. The chief minister, who led numerous black flag agitations in the past, now seems allergic to them; and it is not in the democratic spirit,” the Pathanamthitta conference said.
It must be mentioned that the CPI and the CPI(M) officially split in 1964 over the former’s support for China and the latter’s support for the USSR. CPI(M) was quick to replace the original Communist party in Kerala, Tripura and West Bengal.
