Peravoor (Kannur): The CPI(M)—that leads the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) in Kerala—is facing issues it has never encountered before, but not a “crisis”, senior party leader K.K. Shailaja has said, amid three senior leaders contesting as Independents backed by the rival United Democratic Front (UDF) in the upcoming assembly polls.
In an interview with ThePrint in the backdrop of the 9 April polls in Kerala, Shailaja said the rebels will not be a huge issue for the party as they deviated from party policies, which the cadres understood.
“That is their individual issue and they were against our party and the LDF and they started to file nominations on their own. The party workers will not agree and huge processions and protest marches were held against them, that they were cheating our party. So, it will not become a huge issue for the LDF or the party,” Shailaja said.
In the run up to the polls, multiple senior leaders have openly criticised the CPI(M).
Former minister and senior leader G. Sudhakaran left the party earlier this month alleging sidelining from the leadership. Similarly, V. Kunhikrishnan, a veteran leader from Kannur, was expelled this January after he alleged embezzlement in the party’s Payyannur martyrs’ fund. Soon after expulsion, he released a book on the subject. The CPI(M) has denied misappropriation of funds.
T.K. Govindan, another senior leader from Kannur, also criticised the party over the candidacy of state secretary M.V. Govindan’s wife P.K. Shyamala from Taliparamba constituency.
All three leaders are now contesting as independents with support from the UDF: Sudhakaran from Ambalapuzha, Kunhikrishnan from Payyannur and T.K. Govindan from Taliparamba.
The state elections are crucial for the LDF, which is trying to retain power for the third time in Kerala. Senior CPI(M) leader Pinarayi Vijayan has been helming the state as chief minister for the second term.
UDF leaders, on the other hand, maintain they would return to power due to high-anti incumbency and alleged misgovernance.
Shailaja asserted that there is no anti-incumbency against the LDF and Vijayan.
Terming the CM “brave”, she said his dreams for Kerala are coming true, as it was his vision to build infrastructure such as roads, schools, hospitals, the Vizhinjam port and Kochi Water Metro.
“So, he is a powerful leader and we are all lining behind him, we are all his team. There is no anti-incumbency against either the CM or the government,” she told ThePrint.
She went on to attack the Congress (which leads the UDF) for alleging that there is a deal between the rival BJP and CPI(M) in Kerala. Last week, a political war of words had erupted in the state after Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the LDF of having a “secret understanding” with the BJP. The following day, Vijayan hit back and said Rahul lacked “basic awareness” of politics and that the Congress was the “B-team of the BJP”.
Shailaja said it was the Congress’ “habit” to raise “cheap propaganda” against the Left as the party did not have political issues to bring up during elections.
“Why don’t they raise political issues against central government policy or like that? They are not raising, but they are raising this cheap propaganda against the CPI(M) and Left Front. That is not correct and that is why they cannot move forward, you know, the Congress. They should think again. They have to stop this kind of false propaganda,” she added.
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‘Party not sidelining me’
A former health minister who won international accolades for her handling of the Nipah and COVID-19 outbreak in Kerala, Shailaja has been fielded from Kannur district’s Peravoor constituency, considered a Congress bastion, against Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sunny Joseph.
Many have interpreted her candidacy as the CPI(M)’s way of sidelining her. However, Shailaja, MLA from Matannur, maintains it is not so.
She explained that her candidature from Peravoor was in line with the party’s policy of not fielding candidates after two terms in any constituency. She was thus chosen to reclaim Peravoor, where she was born.
She also said she has contested from difficult seats and party strongholds alike in the past, and was fielded from Kuthuparamba, a constituency contested by veterans, for her maiden election.
“The party (told) me, ‘you should be in the list, you should be among the candidates. So, you should contest in Peravoor again and catch that constituency for LDF’. So, I, with pride and enthusiasm, like to contest here according to the party’s decision,” Shailaja said.
(Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui)
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