THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) state secretary Shibu Baby John has lashed out at the leadership of the United Democratic Front (UDF), a coalition in which his party is a constituent, for the latter’s failure to hold regular internal consultations.
He also rued the UDF’s hesitancy to ramp up protests against the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), especially on the matter of the hike in fuel cess. Shibu also demanded the UDF hold a hartal on April 1.
The development came a day after RSP’s secretariat meeting. The RSP leadership has decided to ascertain its power in the UDF.
While talking to reporters after its state committee meeting here on Sunday, Shibu blamed the UDF for not holding enough protests against the LDF, which is embroiled in a slew of issues.
Despite a plethora of issues plaguing the ruling front, the UDF is yet to convene, Shibhu said.
“During the previous years, the UDF leaders held meetings every month. However, this is no longer the case. We have decided to raise the issue before the UDF during the meeting on Tuesday. The UDF should be efficient, and protests against the LDF government should also be intensified. A stage has come where people have started asking about the Opposition’s lapse in holding protests against the LDF,” Shibu said.
However, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan strongly refuted the allegations. Speaking to reporters in Kochi, Satheesan said it was inappropriate on the part of the RSP leader to raise the matter before the media before taking it up with the UDF. “Shibu should be airing his concerns before the UDF leadership, not the media. The UDF meeting happens every month,” Satheesan said.
This is not the first time that the RSP is raising concerns against the UDF leadership. For a while now, the RSP leadership has been peeved with the UDF for not being proactive against the LDF government. Before the 2021 Assembly elections, there were even unofficial talks within the party to jump to the LDF camp. However, this was quelled by the sitting Kollam MP and senior RSP leader N K Premachandran.
RSP was part of the LDF for nearly three decades.
It broke away from the coalition and joined the UDF after the Communist Party of India Marxist, which helms LDF, decided to field one of its politburo members to the Kollam seat, considered an RSP bastion, ahead of the 2014 general elections. RSP has been with the UDF since.