Efforts by a section in the Kannur lobby of the Kerala CPI(M) to project Pinarayi Vijayan, who stepped down as its State secretary last week, as the party-led lDF’s chief ministerial candidate for the next Assembly elections due in April, 2016, and the negative response it has attracted from the party itself have brought out the possibilities of a new polarization in the organization.
Within a day of EP Jayarajan, a strong warrior of the Kannur lobby and a staunch loyalist of Pinarayi, “announcing” that the former State secretary would be the left’s chief ministerial candidate, lDF convener Vaikom Viswan effectively contradicted him by saying that the party had not taken any decision in this regard.
The CPI(M) had last week claimed that the 21st State conference which concluded in Alappuzha on February 23 had put an end to the 12-year-long divisionism in the party, obviously after sidelining of nonagenarian leader VS Achuthanandan became complete. However, the concern now being aired is that a new divisionism could be coming up in the anti-VS camp itself.
Viswan’s negative response to Jayarajan’s “announcement” is seen as a clear indication of the displeasure of the State leadership under the new secretary, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, at the tendency of the so-called Pinarayi faction in the party to decide things unilaterally. Both Jayarajan and Viswan are central committee members of the party.
Jayarajan’s “announcement” and Viswan’s response are sure to figure in the first meeting of the CPI(M)’s reconstituted State committee beginning Monday. Reports on Sunday said that Achuthanandan, who could participate in the meeting as a member of the central committee though he had been dropped from the State committee, might not attend the meeting.
According to the lDF convener, there are many leaders in the CPI(M) who can be nominated as the left’s chief ministerial candidate and Pinarayi is such a leader. He said Jayarajan was perhaps just referring to this point. Viswan added that the party had not so far taken a decision on its candidates for the next Assembly election and the seats they would contest.
Jayarajan, known perhaps as the most trusted lieutenant of Pinarayi, had the other day told a television channel that Pinarayi was the CPI(M)’s automatic choice as chief ministerial candidate. “It is a feeling shared by the people within the party and outside. Even you (the media) have been saying so,” Jayarajan told the channel and reiterated his position later.
Many in the party consider that Jayarajan’s statements were expressive of the alleged arrogant mentality of the Kannur lobby of the party led by Pinarayi that its decisions and interests had to be taken as those of the party though he has stepped down as State secretary after remaining in the post for 17 long years.
According to a source in the party, Jayarajan’s statement has come as an embarrassment for the new State leadership as the Assembly election is still 14 months away and because the other lDF constituents, especially the CPI, may not agree with such moves though the CPI(M), as front leader, has the right to decide the candidate for the chief minister’s post.
“It is not any particular leader who should be taking a decision for the party on such important matters. Even the secretary cannot do that,” said the source. “It is with great difficulty that the party has managed to create an impression that divisionism has been buried. In that context, it will be detrimental to the party’s interests if any section feels that it has special powers,” he added.