KOTTAYAM: When Kanam Rajendran was first elected state secretary of the Communist Party of India at the party’s 22nd state conference in Kottayam in March 2015, he emerged as a beacon of hope for a political organisation that was grappling with turmoil following the loss of esteemed leaders Veliyam Bhargavan and C K Chandrappan. Kanam’s leadership was seen as a saving grace during the challenging period.
With Kanam’s passing after nearly nine years at the helm, the CPI finds itself once again in a crisis. The absence of an able successor is likely to leave the party in disarray. Since assuming the role of party state secretary, Kanam has proved to be a true saviour, propelling the party to a position of strength within state politics.
In the subsequent assembly election, held just a year after his appointment, the CPI won 19 of the 25 seats it contested. This resounding success served as a testament to Kanam’s exceptional leadership and unwavering determination.
Though Kanam emerged as an unquestionable leader in the CPI and the LDF, his health issues saw this position waning in the last few years. The CPI, which was once regarded as a ‘corrective force’ within the LDF, is now seen as the ‘B’ team of the CPM. While Kanam adopted a strong stance within the LDF, especially during the first Pinarayi Vijayan government, addressing issues such as eviction of encroachments in Munnar, dilution of the Right to Information Act, and the Law Academy protest, the CPI has remained silent on political matters in recent months.
The party leadership, which was expected to boost the morale of its members during a crisis, remained silent in the face of the unprecedented Kandala cooperative bank scam. Many party members were surprised by Kanam’s more recent approach to social and political issues, as he had dedicated his life to the party from a young age. Kanam was one of the main contenders to the post of party state secretary when Chandrappan passed away in 2012. Despite having the support of the majority of party state council members, the central leadership proposed Pannian Raveendran as a compromise candidate. When Kanam finally took over the party in 2015, members believed that they had finally found a leader who embodied the spirit of Bhargavan and Chandrappan, who fiercely defended the party whenever it came under attack.