Kollam: In what could pave the way for yet another key assembly by-election, CPM central committee member and minister M V Govindan is likely to quit as MLA and resign as a minister to focus on his new responsibility as the party state secretary.
According to reliable party sources, his decision to concentrate on party duties will result in a by-poll for the Taliparamba Assembly constituency, the second keenly-fought electoral battle after Thrikkakkara, where the ruling CPM-lead Left Democratic Front suffered a massive setback.
Party sources said Govindan Master would resign as minister for Local Self Government and Excise departments soon after the assembly session.
However, talking to Manorama News on Tuesday, Govindan dismissed reports of his impending resignation as 'baseless rumours'.
But sources said the party leadership has indicated to him about the ongoing deliberations on his quitting the MLA post. However, CPM has not made a final decision in this regard.
Party leaders feel that it would be too much to ask from a true proletarian to carry out the responsibilities of a full-time party secretary efficiently while continuing as an MLA. This has led to party discussions about his quitting as the Taliparamba MLA. Unofficial deliberations have also been held over the suitable candidate to replace him.
The cabinet reshuffle, which becomes imperative if Govindan Master quits as the minister, is likely to happen only after Onam, it is reliably learnt. There are strong indications of Speaker MB Rajesh would be inducted into the cabinet. In that case, Health Minister Veena George may be considered for the Speaker's post.
Also, according to party sources, Education Minister V Sivankutty may be appointed the new Thiruvananthapuram district secretary. The court hearing on the Assembly ruckus case, in which the minister is included, is slated after Onam.
A section of the party members is also batting having State Committee member AN Shamseer in the ministry to keep the Kannur representation in the cabinet intact.
Another argument is to bring back K K Shailaja, the face of the first Pinarayi government, but the stand taken by veteran leaders like Pinarayi and LDF Convenor EP Jayarajan could prove crucial.
There are also demands from certain party corners to include leaders like former MLA M Swaraj. If that materialises, then the party may field him in the be-election.
The ‘Master’ and his ‘class’ now?
In his new role as the party state secretary, the immediate task before Govindan Master is to prepare the party for a successful campaign in the Lok Sabha polls to be held within one-and-a-half years.
This could prove an uphill task, given the poor showing in the last outing when the LDF managed to win only a single seat out of the total 20.
Party cadres regard Govindan Master as a Marxist ideologue and strict theoretician. He was in charge of the party affairs in Kollam during the last two Lok Sabha elections.
Given their previous experience, the party's decision to make 'Master', as he is known in the party circles here, the new state secretary has come as a shock to leaders, including the local branch secretary.
He used to wake the leaders up at 4 am to resume poll-preparation duties. He would read out to them the work they have to carry out on that day and the programmes to be conducted, among others. And he would keep calling them till late in the evening to assess the progress continuously.
Though the CPM lost in Kollam on both occasions to N K Premachandran, Govindan helped the party put its best foot forward, party documents show.
Party observers say that Govindan Master will also have to keep the left-wing outfits united and active to fend off the effects of hubris that may creep into the party with LDF enjoying a second consecutive term in the state.
As a change of hands in the management of the party affairs in the state happens, from the "practically-oriented" approach of Kodiyeri Balakrishnan to the path adopted by strict theorist Govindan, the leadership is hopeful of turning the party mechanism more active. This belief turned the tide towards Govindan, despite his hard ideology stance, though several other names were considered for the top state-level party post, sources said.
The discussions over the next state secretary had started at the AKG Centre the moment Kodiyeri Balakrishnan expressed the desire to step down, citing health reasons. Though A Vijayaraghavan, appointed the temporary state secretary when Kodiyeri went on a medical leave earlier, was considered, party leadership struck his name out reasoning that his services were required in Delhi.
With Pinarayi proposing the name of M V Govindan and Kodiyeri backing it, the state leadership decided not to discuss the matter any further. The 69-year-old Master is mandated with not just leading the party till the next party conference. The leadership may pave the way for his continuing to shoulder the responsibility till he turns 75.
Party and the government
Whenever CPM is in power, discussion arises on drawing a fine line between the party and the government. Though there were examples of such demarcations during the tenure of the EMS government, they became more pronounced when V S Achuthanandan became the Chief Minister.
That was when the factional feud between VS and Pinarayi reached its zenith. There are enough pieces of evidence in the party documents to suggest the same. In the SNC Lavalin case, which will come up before the Supreme Court next month, VS and the party confronted each other when CPM was in power in the state.
There was a precedent to let the party first know of the crucial subjects coming up before the cabinet. The then party secretary Pinarayi Vijayan ensured this was followed strictly, while Chief Minister Achuthanandan openly expressed his annoyance. When the CBI investigation report to prosecute Pinarayi in the case came, the party directed the Chief Minister to present it before the party before being placed in the cabinet.
However, the Chief Minister went straight to the Cliff House with the report bypassing the direction, which made headlines then. The firm stand taken by VS, as opposed to the ones taken by Pinarayi and the party, can be seen in the party documents.
The relevant document reads: "At this point, the CBI investigation report to prosecute Pinarayi Vijayan, in his capacity as a former minister, in the SNC Lavalin case came out. In 2006, when the UDF government decided to recommend a CBI probe in the case, the Central Committee meeting held on March 11, 12, 2006, deplored the then government's decision and made it clear that this was a political move just ahead of the Assembly elections. However, VS continued to take a stance that did not recognize the PB (politburo) stand. The available PB discussed in Delhi the decision to prosecute Pinarayi. Before the PB could issue a statement, the general secretary had called the PB members on the phone and discussed the issue. When VS was contacted, he said he would come to Delhi and discuss the issue directly. Following this, the PB issued a statement. However, even after the PB took the stand that the case was politically motivated, VS took a confronting line. In a press meeting on January 28 held after the Cabinet, VS answered a question from media persons whether the case was politically motivated, saying "it is being examined."
In the press note released after the politburo meeting on February 14, the party reiterated that the inclusion of Pinarayi Vijayan in the Lavalin case was politically motivated. V S Achuthanandan didn’t agree with this stand. Politburo discussed this and decided that the party stand should be consistently followed. If a thorough examination is needed, it will be done after the Lok Sabha election, it was agreed. In the Lok Sabha polls, VS made the issue related to the SNC Lavalin case a big controversy.
LDF decided to launch the public campaign on April 1, 2009. VS declared in the 'Meet the Press' held at Thiruvananthapuram on March 29 that "there shouldn't be an iota of doubt that the accused in the SNC Lavalin case be punished. All accused have the right to claim they are innocent till the verdict is pronounced. K Karunakaran and R Balakrishna Pillai are all taking this stand." In the press meet, VS continued: "Lavalin corruption is a serious case. But there are several such cases in Kerala. The law will take its course. If something has to happen finally, one has to spend years fighting the cases. When the case is adjourned, it prolongs as well. The High Court adjourned the Lavalin case for three months. Was it needed? It said, if this much time is not enough, come to us again. What can I and you do….”
The party prepared and handed over a set of strict directions for the functioning of the Chief Minister as a follow-up to the tough stand taken against VS. They were as follows:
1 As Chief Minister, he should fulfill the duty of leading the team of ministers. They should function as a united team.
2 He should not issue public statements that create variant perspectives about the party and the government.
3 He should follow the collective decisions of the state committee.
Will ‘Master’ follow the Kodiyeri approach?
At the end of the VS-Pinarayi tussle, Kodiyeri became party secretary, and the LDF government assumed charge under Pinarayi Vijayan. It put an end to the discord between the party and the government. Kodiyeri gave unwavering support to Pinarayi.
When one section of the party claims the era of factionalism has ended during this time, there are people in the party who argue that the scope and freedom for expressing differences of opinion were limited during this phase.
Kodiyeri, to his credit, tried his best to keep away discord between the party and the government from the time the first Pinarayi government assumed office till he quit.
Kodiyeri did not react when criticism arose that the government and the party were centered on one person. Kodiyeri’s conciliatory line was instrumental in avoiding a confrontation with the CPI though the latter continued the criticism at party district committee meetings. He realised the responsibility of CPM leading the Front.
Govindan could also lead the party down the same path. In fact, given the current equations in the party, there are no other possibilities or ways to lead the CPM in the state.
