THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM state secretary M V Govindan is facing the internal heat for the first time, as criticism builds up over his leadership and decision making in view of the party’s poor performance in the recent local body elections.
On Monday, the Thiruvananthapuram district committee held to review the local body election results criticised Govindan and the state leadership for failing to address critical issues. Govindan had directly overseen the election preparations for the corporation and other local bodies in the capital.
Some leaders argued that had the former state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan been alive, the party would not have suffered such a downfall. While most acknowledged that the state government had performed well, they attributed the party’s losses to its perceived protection of former TDB president A Padmakumar in the Sabarimala gold panel theft case.
“The party secretary’s decision not to initiate disciplinary action against Padmakumar did not go well with the public. By contrast, Congress set an example by expelling Rahul Mamkootathil in the sexual assault case,” several leaders noted.
Other leaders criticised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s decision to travel with SNDP Yogam general secretary Vellappally Natesan in his car during the inaugural programme of Ayyappa Sangamam.