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Vinson Kurian Kerala’s ruling CPI(M) begins its State conference on Thursday with the Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in absolute control over the government and the cadre-based party as well.
The conference, a ritualistic policy-making session, will see Pinarayi as the command-centre, after the CPI(M)’s Central Committee last month endorsed the party’s ‘tactical line’ vis-a-vis the Congress, a position the Kerala CM has staunchly advocated.
Nonagenarian Communist and Vijayan’s sworn critic, former chief minister VS Achuthanandan, has been effectively sidelined, reinforcing the CM’s supremacy over the party. Whatever was left of Achuthanandan’s firepower has been effectively squashed. He was made Chairman of a largely inconsequential State Administrative Reforms Commission in what is largely seen as a consolation prize.
Still, observers believe all is not well, with the party’s taut visage betraying varied pulls and counter pulls from within.
More violence
To start with, the CPI(M) finds itself defending its alleged role in the latest bout of political violence in Kannur, where a rival party worker was killed — interestingly, not one from the RSS-BJP. Shuhaib, a young Congress worker was hacked to death, allegedly to settle local political scores, after assailants hurled a crude bomb to stun onlookers rushing in to help the victim.
A remand report prepared by the police in Kannur had sought to confirm the role of CPI(M) sympathisers in the killing, leading to the arrest of two.
This has provided further grist to the BJP’s mill blaming the CPI(M) for blood-letting, shattering peace in Kannur and neighbouring districts off and on.
Left red-faced
The CPI(M) has also been rocked by charges of misappropriation of funds involving the kin of senior leader and State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.
The case had damaged the party’s image, and charges of ‘reckless personal spending’ by a minister and even the Assembly Speaker, only added to the embarrassment.
The party has also come in for widespread criticism for letting loose its cyber warriors to run down the widow of slain dissenter TP Chandrasekharan. She has since taken her protests to the party headquarters in Delhi.
Alliance troubles
On the administrative front, the party has been hobbled by constant sniper fire from alliance partner CPI for various alleged acts of omission and commission.
It has since sent feelers to the Kerala Congress, which is now cooling its heels after exiting the rival Congress-led United Democratic Front. But observers shrug off these overtures as no more than pressure tactics to bring a rebellious CPI around.
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