THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and the LDF government bore the brunt of criticism at the CPI district council meeting that reviewed the Lok Sabha election results. Though the CPM state leadership as such was not spared by members of the council, the focus of attack was Pinarayi. Too much stress on the CAA in the LDF’s campaign also drew flak at Saturday’s meeting.
“Some council members highlighted Pinarayi’s arrogance and autocratic style of functioning. His behaviour is unbecoming of a people’s leader. Unlike past Left leaders, Pinarayi, through his actions and words, turn people hostile. The CM’s unilateral decision making, the delay in distributing social security pension, lack of fund allocation to Supplyco and similar establishments came under criticism at the meeting,” said a senior CPI leader.
Some leaders who spoke at the meeting stressed that corruption charges against CM’s daughter also contributed to the LDF’s defeat, he said.
The anti-CAA campaigns seemed more of an exercise aimed at minority appeasement, several leaders said. With more prominence given to religious leaders, these campaigns appeared religious meetings than political ones, they felt.
The LDF’s minority appeasement came for sharp criticism. Leaders blamed front partners for gifting seats to minorities, which they said had not not gone down well with party cadres. “This led to a major shift in the Ezhava vote base,” they said. There was no point in blaming the CPM alone for this. The CPI was also indulging in minority appeasement when it chose P P Suneer for the Rajya Sabha seat, they added.
CPM decides to probe erosion of party votes
Assessing that unprecedented erosion of the party votes led to the LDF’s humiliating defeat in the LS election, the CPM has decided to go for a comprehensive examination of the wearing away of its votes at the constituency-level. The decision was taken by the state secretariat that met in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday to mark the beginning of the five-day leadership meet.
‘Nava Kerala Sadas has done more damage to govt image’
The fund collection for Nava Kerala Sadas too came under attack at the meet. In the final analysis, the Nava Kerala Sadas turned out to be more damaging for the government’s image, some leaders said.
“Earlier, people used to come on their own to listen to leaders during public meetings. Now it has become our responsibility to ensure people’s participation for CM’s meetings,” one of the leaders said at the council meet.
Members also criticised the CPI ministers’ poor performance. Organisational weaknesses in the party, leadership vaccum after Kanam Rajendran’s demise, and the party’s inability to function as a corrective force within LDF were also raised.