Thiruvananthapuram: The Left parties in Kerala are in the midst of dissecting their performance during the recent legislative assembly elections. Pointing to objective and candid introspection, the the Communist Party of India (CPI) has even lauded a victorious Congress candidate, PC Vishnunath who bested communist veteran J Mercykutty Amma from the Kundara constituency.
The review reports of both CPM and CPI were drafted after compiling the inputs of local committees from the grassroots.
The behaviour of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate resulted in a reduction of votes in Kundara, stated the CPI report referring to Mercykutty Amma, who was widely perceived to be haughty by many in the constituency.
The voters took note of the humility of the United Democratic Front candidate, the report further said referring to Vishnunath of the Congress party.
CPM too gets stick
The CPI poll review report even made adverse observations against ally the Communist Party of India (Marxist) or the CPM, which heads the LDF political front which went on to win the assembly elections for its second straight win.
The report also slammed M Mukesh, the victorious CPM candidate from Kollam.
The conduct of CPM leaders in Paravur was suspect and there was vote erosion in Haripad, the report further said on its analyses on the defeats of CPI candidates in both these constituencies. Congress candidates, VD Satheeshan and Ramesh Chennithala, had won from Paravur and Haripad, respectively. M T Nixon and Adv R Sajilal weere the defeated CPI candidates here.
Ernakulam unit gets blame
The CPI State council meeting, which concluded here the other day, fixed full responsibility on the party's Ernakulam district committee for the defeat of party candidates in Paravur and Muvattupuzha constituencies.
At the time of candidates' selection, the State leadership knew that all three names suggested by the district council as candidates in Paravur did not have winning chances. So, it turned down the list and sent it back to the district unit. But the district unit sent the same list again to the State party at a 'rocket speed'. The State unit selected the first name from the list. So, the district leadership was solely responsible for defeat, the State council pointed out.
Eldho's ostentatious marriage!
The review report prepared by the party district council pointed out that the ostentatious marriage of sitting MLA and candidate Eldo Abraham, who won the last Assembly polls in 2016 by showcasing his penury and poor family background, just before the polls, had led to his defeat.
CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran reacted sharply at the State council meeting when party district secretary P Raju tried to simplify the defeat in Muvattupuzha by saying that it occured due to the ostentatious marriage of candidate and sitting MLA Eldho Abraham just before the elections. Raju, while presenting the election review report prepared by the party district council, said that though Eldho was asked by the party to hold the marriage in a simple ceremony, it was not heard. At this point, Kanam retorted by asking Raju whether you were all there in-charge of the affairs during those times.
The state council noted that it was for the first time that the party did not have an MLA from Ernakulam district when the LDF came to power in the State. The council also held the district party responsible for such a piquant situation.
The council also instructed the district party leadership to hold a meeting of the district council in the presence of party assistant secretary Sathyan Mokeri and former Minister E Chandrasekharan to review the performance of the party in the Assembly elections.
Some speakers at the council pointed out that as an MLA there was no need for Eldo to lead the party's youth wing march to the Police Commissioner's office and later cook up a case of severe hamstring injury suffered in the police action. The entire episode could have been avoided. This created a situation in which the entire CPM rank and file revolted against the MLA, resulting in his defeat.
The blame on the district leadership by the party State council assumes special significance as party Ernakulam district secretary Raju and a majority of party leaders from the district reportedly owe allegiance to party national executive committee member K E Ismail, who is at loggerheads with State secretary Kanam Rajendran.
