Though there are enough signs of deterioration in the relations between the CPI(M) and some other constituents–especially the CPI-of the ruling lDF- yet is not preventing the Marxists from playing the Big Brother in the coalition. The CPI(M) has decided to review regularly the performance of the Government departments looked after by Ministers of the other Front partners.
As per a party letter that appeared in the media, the CPI(M) will make such reviews on a regular basis though it will be done in the garb of an lDF programme. Reports on this came out close on the heels of the scathing criticisms aired at the leadership meetings of the CPI over Marxist Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s recent act of holding a meeting of the members of the personal staff of the Ministers.
As per a decision taken by the CPI(M)’s State committee, meeting of all the members of the Ministers’ personal staff should be held every six months as part of the performance review process. It had also suggested that the Revenue Department – headed by a CPI Minister – should make quick interventions in disputes related to land issues and title deed distribution.
The party State committee had also decided to review the lDF Government’s overall performance once in every month. Many observers view this as an authoritarian move of the CPI(M) intended at imposing its will and authority as the coalition leader on allies just as it had tried to do during the 2011- 2016 lDF rule.
When harsh criticisms had come up in the CPI leadership meet the other day against Pinarayi’s act of convening a meeting of the Ministers’ personal staff members, its State secretary Kanam Rajendran had tried to play it down by saying that Pinarayi had the authority to do so in the capacity as CM.
However, it is now apparent that Pinarayi had called the meeting not just in his capacity as Chief Minister but according to a well-planned scheme of the CPI(M) as its State committee is said to have taken the decision at its meeting in mid-November.
Sources in the CPI said the Marxist party move could cause discord in the lDF “if the reports are true”.
In the 19-member Kerala Cabinet, front leader CPI(M) with 58 legislators has 12 Ministers including Pinarayi and a Marxist Independent. The CPI, second biggest front partner with 19 MlAs, has four Ministers whereas minor constituents Janata Dal (S), Congress (S) and NCP have one Minister each.
Reports about the CPI(M)’s alleged decision to act as the Big Brother in the front came amidst an open war of words between CPI(M)’s Culture Minister AK Balan and CPI’s Forests Minister K Raju over the former’s recent comment that the CPI members in the current Cabinet should take lessons from its ministers in the previous lDF government.
“It is not Balan’s job to review the performance of the CPI’s Ministers. The Chief Minister can do that and could issue appropriate instructions if he feels there are errors or shortcoming on our part,” Raju said on Thursday. He added that even the secretaries of the two parties could hold discussions on such matters but Balan did not have any such right.
Meanwhile, nonagenarian Marxist and former chief minister VS Achuthanandan reportedly wrote a letter on Thursday to the CPI(M)’s central leadership suggesting that the party should take up people’s agitations and that there should be efforts to strengthen the organization. He also said that the party should hold nation-wide agitations over currency demonetization.
The contents of the letter were likely to be discussed at the three-day meeting of the CPI(M) central committee which would start at Thiruvananthapuram on Friday, sources said. He sent the letter to the leadership just when the central committee was expected to take a decision on the report of the Politbureau commission on the disciplinary action to be taken against him.