THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Stung by the CPM’s blunt refusal to concede the deputy leader of opposition post and its public ridicule of the party, the CPI is gearing up to firm up its response to its dominant LDF partner.
The CPI state leadership is set to hold an extraordinary meeting with its national leaders in New Delhi on September 1, on the sidelines of the party’s national rally at Ramlila Maidan, to deliberate on the issue and decide the next course of action. “The latest developments and the state unit’s stand on the issue will be conveyed to the national leadership,” a state secretariat member said.
The CPI state leadership is seeking a more visible role in the LDF parliamentary party’s affairs. “There is a view that the CPM cannot simply brush aside the deputy leader issue. The immediate question is whether to turn it into a sustained political confrontation,” a CPI national leader said.
For the CPM, the issue appears to have assumed significance beyond the post itself. Yielding to the CPI’s demand could signal acceptance of a larger role for its junior ally within the LDF, while standing firm would help the CPM retain its grip over the opposition front.
CPM leaders said the CPI’s increasingly critical stance towards former chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan has unsettled sections of the party. Resentment is reportedly mounting among leaders and cadre who feel the CPI has breached the limits of coalition ethics.
Both parties have stepped up their public attacks on each other. The CPI has accused Pinarayi of adopting an authoritarian approach by making unilateral statements despite an agreement to resolve issues through bilateral talks.
The CPM has been critical of the CPI since the final leg of the LDF government’s term.
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“It was the CPI that took the PM SHRI issue public, which became the last nail in the government’s coffin. After the poll setback, the CPI has been trying to corner Pinarayi,” a CPM central committee member said. The CPM leadership has cited CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam’s remark that Pinarayi lacked political maturity and assistant secretary Sathyan Mokeri’s criticism of him in the party’s official organ, Janayugam, as breaches of alliance decorum.
“It was Binoy who again went public after submitting the letter to the CPM on the disputed post. CPM leaders were forced to respond only thereafter. Even at the last press meet, Pinarayi’s controversial remark came in response to a specific question from a reporter,” the CPM leader added.
Many CPI leaders believe a change in LDF leadership is essential for the front’s comeback. “It would have been magnanimous if Pinarayi had stepped down to make way for new leadership. As a tall leader, he could still have retained a significant role in state politics, much like M K Stalin and Mamata Banerjee,” said a CPI national executive member.
CPM leaders, however, said the CPI’s claim to the deputy leader’s post would gain strength if a new leader of the opposition were elected. With Pinarayi continuing as the LDF parliamentary party leader, they said, the CPI has little chance of securing the post.
Though LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan on Friday indicated the possibility of further bilateral discussions between the two parties, reports from within the CPM suggest there will be no compromise. “We are ready for any number of discussions. However, the effort will be to make them understand the ground realities,” said a top CPM leader.
Sept 1 meeting
The CPI state leadership is set to hold a meeting with its national leaders in New Delhi on September 1 to discuss the deputy leader of opposition issue