KASARGOD: In what appears to be a fallout of the CPI's decision to boycott the cabinet meeting over Thomas Chandy last week, the CPM has started ostracising revenue minister E Chandrasekharan in the district.
Though the CPM denied there was a boycott in place, its leaders have refused to share the dais with the minister in public and official events.
On Monday, the CPM leaders, including Lok Sabha member P Karunakaran, MLAs M Rajagopalan and K Kunhiraman, stayed away from a government function for people with disabilities. Chandrasekharan was the chief guest of the function, organised by the district panchayat.
According to the programme list, Karunakaran was supposed to hand over keys of newly built houses to the beneficiaries at the function. Udma MLA K Kunhiraman was supposed to inaugurate the physiotherapy centre of Pullur-Periya gram panchayat, Trikaripur MLA M Rajagopalan was supposed to distribute computers to BUDS schools for children with intellectual disabilities.
The programme sheet had listed the names of Nileshwaram block panchayat president V P Janaki and Kanhangad municipality chairperson V V Rameshan to give vote of thanks. None of them made it to the venue.
A P Usha, chairperson of the standing committee for the welfare of the district panchayat — which organised the event — also did not sit on the dais. Though she was present in the district panchayat office — where the function was held — she came to the venue only toward the end and left in a huff.
When contacted, district secretary of the CPM, K P Satheesh Chandran, said there was no direction from the party to boycott the CPI minister.
When asked about the absence of its leaders from public functions, he said they were attending party conventions.
On Sunday, when Chandrasekharan inaugurated the dental clinic at Manjeshwaram community health centre, CPM leaders and workers stayed away from the function.
CPM local secretary Kamalaksha's name was on the programme list. Though he attended the function, he refused to share the dais with the minister, said a CPI leader who attended the function.
When asked how long would the ostracism continue, Satheesh Chandran said the 'boycott reports' were the creation of the media.
Yet, sources in the party said there was a direction from the state leadership of the CPM to boycott Chandrasekharan.
The state committee had directed the district committee of the party not to cooperate with the minister, better still, avoid inviting him for public functions, they said.
The direction comes against the backdrop of the CPI ministers boycotting the cabinet meeting to protest against Chandy continuing as transport minister.
'Exposes the disunity in front'
The UDF said publicly ostracising the senior minister exposed the lack of unity in the LDF government. "If Pinarayi Vijayan's cabinet had a collective responsibility, this would not have happened," said district Congress president Hakkim Kunnil.
The CPM's decision also proved that the minister did not enjoy the confidence of the chief minister.
Striking a cautionary stance, the IUML said the development though in bad taste was an internal matter of the LDF.
"But the fact is the minister stood up for a just cause and the LDF was displaying its political pauperism by targeting Chandrasekharan," said M C Kamarudeen, district general secretary of IUML.
The BJP said the CPM and the CPI should stop fooling the people "with this public display of disaffection".
If the chief minister did not have confidence in Chandrasekharan, he should oust him from the cabinet, said BJP district president K Shrikanth.
"Or, the minister should introspect if he should continue in a ministry which is publicly standing with the corrupt. He can quit and stand with the people," he said.