THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In the aftermath of the LDF’s crushing defeat in the assembly election, the CPM appeared to be grappling with internal discontent, with criticism increasingly directed at Pinarayi Vijayan during election review meetings at lower committees.
However, the raids on the former CM’s houses have transformed him from a poll villain into a rallying point for the CPM. The political narrative within the party has undergone a dramatic shift following the raids.
“The raids occurred at a critical juncture for CPM,” said a state secretariat member. “After the poll debacle, the confidence of the leadership and cadres had hit rock bottom, as the CPM lost even in its strongholds in Kannur. The party was looking for a ray of hope, and this happened,” he said.
As the CPM state secretariat and state committee prepare to review the election results from June 5, the final phase of lower committee meetings witnessed unprecedented criticism against Pinarayi and state secretary M V Govindan.
CPM leaders said what had until recently been a phase of introspection and blame within the party has given way to a renewed sense of political solidarity, with Pinarayi emerging as a rallying point for leaders and workers alike.
Senior party leaders believe the raids have provided the party with a fresh political narrative capable of reuniting cadres demoralised by electoral setbacks.
Political observers note that the action by central agencies may inadvertently strengthen Pinarayi’s position within the party at a time when his leadership had come under rare scrutiny from within CPM ranks.
CPM leaders said those who had orchestrated the raids had miscalculated their impact. “They thought that, in light of the criticism following the electoral setback and the uncertainty among workers, they could further weaken Pinarayi Vijayan and the CPM,” said a central committee member. “However, what they failed to realise is that, in times of attack against the party and its leadership, the CPM naturally functions as a united force.”
Party leaders have accused the BJP-led central government of using investigative agencies to target non-NDA opposition leaders, a line that has found resonance among cadres at a time when the CPM was struggling to contain post-election frustration and local factional discontent.
The raids have also brought other opposition parties, such as the DMK, AAP and the RJD, closer to the CPM nationally. This happens at a time when the INDIA bloc is facing internal fissures. While leaders of all three parties criticised the raids, the chiefs of the DMK and AAP criticised the Congress for demanding Pinarayi’s arrest by central agencies.