KOLLAM: On the reunification, Chandrachoodan said that it was like a family welcoming the return of the prodigal son. Shibu Baby John, who left the RSP in 1999 to form the RSP (B), presided over the function. Shibu said it was unfortunate for him to have left the RSP and had suffered a lot but was relieved to have washed off the sin with the reunification.
“We should take the RSP to its erstwhile glory and make it a part of Kollam. Other Left parties should come forward like the way the RSP did in the wake of the challenge posed by the BJP. CPM has lost the mind and nature of a Left party,” the Labour Minister said, adding that the UDF government would come to power next time also like it had done once in 70s with the support of the RSP.
RSP state secretary A A Azeez inaugurated the event after the flag hoisting function by former state secretary V P Ramakrishna Pillai at 10 am. Azeez said that the recent election victory was a tight slap on the face of the CPM for its high handedness. “Our decision to switch alliance was almost suicidal but the victory has raised the stature of RSP nationally,” Azeez said. He also demanded M A Baby’s resignation from his MLA position as it was Baby who demanded the resignation of Azeez and Kovoor Kunjumon when RSP made the switch. Azeez also clarified that the party was not considering the re-induction of Babu Divakaran.
Former state secretary Ramakrishna Pillai said that he had always worked for the reunification of RSPs during his tenure as the state secretary and Tuesday’s event would be cherished for long. National Committee member Sukumar Ghosh was the only leader from Bengal who attended the function.
Ghosh explained that other leaders, including RSP Bengal wing secretary Kshithi Goswami, could not make it following the tension prevailing in Bengal post-election.
He congratulated Premachandran for defeating a ‘formidable opponent’ and Shibu Baby John for taking initiatives for the merger.
Terming the event a historic one, he said this would open a new chapter for the party in Kerala. He however cautioned that the basic principles of the party would continue to make them remain with the toiling mass whatever be the changes in the national politics.
Premachandran who arrived from Delhi on Tuesday morning cheered the cadre with party slogans.
Around 4,000 delegates took part in the merger meeting held on Cantonment Ground. Terming the reunification function as historic, Premachandran said that the RSP would not have split in 1999 but the CPM engineered it. Premachandran also urged the CPM for an introspection.