THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With only a few days remaining for the Left government’s first anniversary, the Left front finds itself in the midst of an open bitter tussle between two prominent leaders of the CPM and the CPI. Close on the heels of deputy speaker Chittayam Gopakumar accusing Health Minister Veena George of keeping him in the dark about the government’s first anniversary celebrations, the latter in turn accused him of hidden motives.
Both the deputy speaker and the minister have approached the LDF leadership with accusations against each other. With the rift escalating, CPM Pathanamthitta district leadership on Saturday came forward in support of Veena George. The open tussle began after Adoor MLA Chittayam Gopakumar - also the Deputy Speaker - came down heavily on the minister alleging that the minister who is in charge of Pathanamthitta is not consulting MLAs from the district. His allegations were primarily about him being sidelined with respect to the state government’s first anniversary celebrations, coupled with no proper invitation being extended to him in this regard.
Chittayam further went on to add that the minister neither picks up calls nor returns them. The public remarks by the deputy speaker has become a major embarrassment for both the party leadership and the minister. Gopakumar went on to say that though he had brought the issues to the attention of the CPM leadership, he is yet to elicit a response from them. He also filed complaints before CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran and LDF convener E P Jayarajan against the minister’s alleged non-cooperation.
Meanwhile, Veena, in her complaint to the LDF leadership alleged that Chittayam was acting as per a hidden agenda.”Chittayam has raised allegations that he didn’t raise at the LDF meet or MLAs’ meeting. His accusation of her not picking up his calls too was wrong. His phone records should be verified. Such allegations will affect party workers. It’s the district administration that invites people to the celebration,” sources said.
Adding to the tussle, CPM Pathanamthitta district secretary K P Udayabhanu said the anniversary celebrations are being organised together by the deputy speaker, minister and MLAs in Pathanamthitta.
“So there is no need to invite any one of them in particular. The programme is being jointly conducted by all of them,” he said. When asked about the complaint by Chittayam that he was not invited for the first anniversary celebrations of the current LDF government in Pathanamthitta, Udayabhanu likened it to a father complaining of not being invited to his daughter’s wedding.