The Reds are at it again. The latest fencing match involving the two LDF heavyweights has CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan crossing swords with his CPI counterpart, Panniyan Ravindran.
Vijayan’s comment in the course of a speech that “When the house is on fire some of our friends are trying to light their beedies from it”, turned out to be an innuendo aimed at CPI state secretary Ravindran.
Vijayan was venting his ire in local parlance, against the CPI secretary when the latter openly expressed his views on the latest developments in the CPI(M) in the state.
What prompted Vijayan to make the “beedi-lighting comment” was the action of the CPI which conducted the Onchium martyrs memorial programmes separately a couple of weeks ago, keeping the CPI(M) away.
Ravindran said, “All that I have to say is that Vijayan should avoid making public comments that jeopardise the unity of Left parties in the country. The political situation in the country demands unity of Left parties, mainly the CPI(M) and the CPI.”
The latest bout of CPI(M)-CPI row was triggered by the brutal murder of RMP leader T P Chandrasekharan and some of the high-handed actions of CPI(M). The CPI had always taken an independent political stand, invariably supporting Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan and his group in the CPI(M), while commenting on every political development in the state. The statement made by Panniyan recently that “VS would lead the LDF in the coming polls in the state also” was, perhaps, the biggest political embarrassment faced by the CPI(M).
Meanwhile, the CPI(M) state secretary refused to budge an inch from his “beedi-lighting” statement and reiterated his statement that the “Left colleagues should keep away from taking undue political advantage while the party is facing tough political situations”.
Interestingly, at the state conference of the DYFI which concluded on Thursday at Alappuzha, the CPI state secretary was an invited guest. Both the party chiefs were present on the stage but they carefully avoided making comments on controversial issues.