THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : The CPM on Sunday said it would take corrective measures if needed after examining all aspects of its debacle in Thrikkakara, but categorically stated that the bypoll outcome was not a verdict against the LDF government’s flagship SilverLine project.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, however, refused to talk about the issue. He ignored reporters’ questions on the bypoll result at a function in Kannur. CPM politburo member M A Baby said the party will examine all aspects of the defeat. “The CPM and LDF will examine the poll debacle in detail and if required, we will learn from the mistakes. Was it a mandate against the Narendra Modi government which saw the BJP candidate losing his deposit in Thrikkakara?” he told reporters in Kasaragod.
Baby said notwithstanding reservations expressed by certain sections on it, the SilverLine project is expected to be an asset for the state. Every care will be taken to not harm the environment while implementing the project, he said.
Senior CPM leader S Ramachandran Pillai maintained that the bypoll result was not a verdict against SilverLine. “Thrikkakara assembly constituency has always been a sure seat of the Congress, and they won the seat this time too. More than 15, 000 votes of the Twenty -20 went to the Congress’ kitty. The chief minister will react to the byelection outcome at an appropriate time. The CPM state secretariat meeting was held the other day, and both the chief minister and state secretary expressed their opinion on the bypoll result there,” he added.