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The ‘historic’ siege to the Secretariat and its aftermath has brought personal gains to both its principal protagonists at a time when both needed them most.
The reference is to embattled Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and challenger Pinarayi Vijayan, State secretary of CPI(M) that heads the Opposition.
CM TARGETED
Thousands of Opposition Left Democratic Front protesters milling around the Secretariat targeted mainly the solar scam-tainted Chief Minister, demanding his resignation and a judicial probe.
The Chief Minister seemed increasingly isolated at the helm of a coalition government whose vulnerable numbers and self-seeking members would combine to test his nerves often.
But he marshalled his man-management skills and engaged colleagues with tact to keep a semblance of order in governance and policy-making, every time.
To his credit, he fought a lone battle to deal with a seemingly explosive situation created by the masses mobilised from all over the State for the siege.
DETRACTORS SILENCED
That he managed to neutralise a potential threat to law and order should go to silence his detractors from within his own party and the ruling front at large.
It should also put paid to the leadership challenge mounted by rival Congress faction by propping up Ramesh Chennithala, chief of the State unit of the Congress party.
The small majority that the Chief Minister had to contend with had emboldened elements in the ruling front to speak out of turn and often at odds with coalition logic.
But they too have got their comeuppance with the Chief Minister masterminding a hurried end to the siege without precipitating a showdown with the protestors, let alone bloodshed.
BEYOND BRIEF
They had argued that the Chief Minister had gone beyond the brief of the party and the front while deciding to take on the Opposition challenge.
They would often complain about being kept in the dark with respect to, for instance, summoning the Central forces in large numbers.
But the Chief Minister had only this to say: “I’m doing it on my own and after carefully assessing options with the police and intelligence agencies. And I am entirely responsible for this decision of mine.”
This might have sounded defiant and cheeky to the detractors, but the Chief Minister was least bothered.
In the final analysis, it was this bold decision that would instil the fear of ‘Army’ on the Left leaders and cadres and snuffed out the odd flare-up from restless members of the crowd.
Pinarayi’s gain
On the other side, Pinarayi Vijayan has cemented his position as the unquestionable leader of the Left Front by showing his command over his cadres.
Senior colleague and faction leader V.S. Achuthanandan, who is also Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly, was relegated to the sidelines in the bargain.
Vijayan needed to tell the world that the State unit of the CPI(M) had managed to put the recent reverses behind it and was in fine fettle ahead of the 2014 general elections. And he did just that in style.
He knew that he might not be able to sustain cadre interest and focus after the government ordered the Secretariat closed for two days. The third day would be a public holiday thanks to Independence Day.
And the government seemed to oblige him by declaring a judicial probe, which hastened the end to the one-day-old siege.
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