THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Left in Kerala is coming up with new strategies to attract different sections of society ahead of the Lok Sabha polls. It was the Sabarimala fiasco that first prompted the Left to openly indulge in politics of caste and community. Emergence of an association comprising Hindu renaissance organisations and the subsequent women’s wall movement was an evident move towards this end.
Even while drawing flak from the NSS on the Sabarimala issue, the Left was successful in keeping the SNDP Yogam and the Kerala Pulaya Maha Sabha (KPMS) along with it. Now, in an open tussle with the NSS again, the visit of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan along with a contingent of four ministers and party leaders to SNDP general secretary Vellappally Natesan’s house at Kanichukulangara gains political significance.
Termed as an open move to woo the community votes ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, the visit could well be a political reply to the NSS which has been vocal in its criticism against the CPM. In the wake of the Sabarimala issue, the CPM state secretary had been attacking the NSS. At the same time, the party has been sending out feelers hinting it is open for discussions with NSS.
It should be noted Pinarayi Vijayan who had unleashed scathing attacks on the SNDP leadership for joining hands with the BJP-led NDA front during the last Assembly elections, has now taken the lead in visiting Vellappally’s house. Obviously, it’s part of a strategy to ensure support of the Ezhava votebank in the upcoming election.
“Isn’t it evident it’s more of a Pinarayi Government than the continuation of other Communist governments in the state? In the current political order, this government has a standing on its own. That’s why it might not show the characteristics of the previous Left governments. In fact, in a larger sense, the Left Government is supposed to implement the policy decisions taken at the party congress,” said left commentator Appukkuttan Vallikkunnu.