THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With the assembly session coming up, the CPI has decided to stand firm on its position on the Deputy Leader of the Opposition post. The party state secretariat meeting held on Thursday ruled out any further initiative to hold bilateral discussions on the issue. Almost all the leaders asked the leadership to stick to the declared position.
The leadership meeting also decided not to make public statements on the subject. However, whenever the situation demands, the party would make its position clear. Until the CPM accepts its demand, the CPI will not cooperate in holding the LDF parliamentary party meeting. During the assembly session, the two parties would work together inside the assembly.
Party state secretary Binoy Viswam told the meeting that the party would not backtrack on its demand. However, on common political issues, the two parties would work together while retaining their party identities. The meeting also saw criticism of Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan for his alleged authoritarian stand and provocative statement on the Deputy Leader post. Leaders reportedly said Pinarayi’s public statement that the Deputy Leader post would remain with the CPM was not acceptable and it was an example of an authoritarian tendency.
Some leaders pointed out the party discussion held before the assembly election, in which the majority opined that the LDF would face a setback if the campaign was led by Pinarayi Vijayan.
“If some other leader had led the front, the LDF wouldn’t have faced such a defeat. There was an anti-Pinarayi wave in 140 assembly constituencies. The CPI would not succumb to his pressure tactics,” leaders said.
The CPI will organise an assembly march on October 14 against the attempt to implement the new labour code in the state and other issues.