THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As he gears up for a third consecutive term as CPI state secretary – only the fourth from the party to do so – Kanam Rajendran has his task cut out, politically and organisationally. Keeping CPI’s distinct identity intact within LDF, strengthening the party, while also managing the district units opposing him would be the 71-year-old’s biggest challenges.
Taking the fight against BJP forward and moving towards the party’s goal of Left unification are other tests he faces. Before Kanam, N E Balaram, P K Vasudevan Nair and Veliyam Bhargavan have served as the CPI state secretary for three consecutive terms. For Kanam, the battle for the third term was strenuous, as he lost some of his strongholds in Kottayam and Idukki. However, he was able to snatch districts like Ernakulam from the rebel faction. He also succeeded, to a major extent, in decimating factionalism in CPI – especially the K E Ismail-led group that had been targeting him of late – while strictly enforcing the mandate to make it a party of youngsters.
Though anti-Kanam factions united to take him on in the name of the mandatory age cap, he was able to divide them to get himself elected unanimously. Most of his critics too had to bow out of the state council this time.
After taking over on Monday, Kanam said party unity will be ensured. Organisationally, doing this would be a major task as he will have to make sure factionalism does not return to the party. Also, district units like Kottayam and Idukki strongly oppose Kanam. Though Ismail and Divakaran had to opt out, the resentment brewing within the district units will reflect in the coming days. The Ernakulam unit has filed complaints before the new council.
One of the major political challenges that Kanam would have to address at the earliest would be what rebels within CPI have been raising for long - that the party has surrendered before CPM. CPI, which used to play the role of the ‘real Left’ within LDF has more or less been a mere spectator for long within the ruling front. There was open criticism that CPI had seemingly kow-towed before CPM and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. The party’s soft stance on issues like Silverline and Vizhinjam hadn’t gone down well with many too.
Kanam would have to lay focus on strengthening the party further at the grassroots. “At present, CPI is on the path of growth. The environment in Kerala is favourable for the party. However, we have not been able to cash in on the same. Now, CPI has party units in all panchayats and most of the wards. To ensure its presence in all of them is another important task,” said a senior leader.