The CPI(M) in Kerala is busy organizing the triennial State convention which will be held in Kannur in January-February 2022. As the run -up to the State convention, party meetings are being held across the branch, local, area and district levels in all the 14 districts.
The well organized meetings discuss all global and international issues ranging from the victory of the party’s stance in the 2020 US presidential election that saw the defeat of right winger Donald Trump and the results of the recently held German Chancellor election.
The meetings are like carnivals for the party faithful who are in a celebratory mood this time because of the Left Democratic Front returning to power in Kerala in the 2021 assembly election. There is no shortage of food and drinks during these meetings as all requirements and needs of the delegates are taken care of by the party leadership, of course with generous contributions by businessmen, contractors and shopkeepers.
The festoons and banners dotting the cities, towns and villages in the State offer a kaleidoscopic view of leaders dear to the CPI(M) leadership. While in areas where the minorities are larger in numbers, posters of Yasser Arafat, the late Palestine Liberation Organisation leader stares down at the population, areas with Hindu population are decorated with larger-than-life size posters of Swamy Vivekananda, Chattampi Swamy and Mannathu Padmanabhan. The choice of the latter has political analysts like Jayasankar in splits as Padmanabhan was the leader of the famous Liberation Struggle of 1959 that resulted in the overthrowing of the EMS Namboodirippadu-led Communist Government in the State by the Centre under article 356 of the Constitution.
“Till his last breath, Padmanabhan, founder of the Nair Service Society, was a strong critic of the Communists. But it is surprising that the party has decided to project Mannathu Padmanabhan as their man,” said Hari Kartha, commentator and columnist.