Other than the defeat in Kerala,the closeness of the contest is in itself a lesson to the CPM.
The official faction led by state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan had sought to isolate V S Achuthanandan,but few even in this camp would deny that it was because of the outgoing chief ministers charisma that the CPM ran the Congress close.
In other words,the defeat is a setback to Vijayan while the close contest is a triumph for VS who,at 87,remains relevant as ever.
Story continues
below this ad
And it sets the stage for another battle within. Last time,the unexpected victory,based mainly on his mass popularity,had encouraged Achuthanandan to rejig the party organisation,now controlled by Vijayan. Going by his record,VS is set to gun for Vijayan in the organisational elections later this year.
VSs return to the centrestage of CPM politics may tilt equations in the party. Many one-time VS followers,who had deserted his camp expecting Vijayan would hold the whip,are likely to return.
Vijayan has of late suffered a series of setbacks,such as the exit of his loyalist P Sasi from his position in the party leadership and the desertion of John Brittas from a party-backed TV channel to one controlled by imperialist forces. The poll outcome will weaken Vijayans position further.
The official faction would have dismissed VSs relevance had the LDF won less than 40. Vijayan had been gearing up to take up a campaign against VS after the polls. He had criticised the use of huge pictures of his rival by all Left candidates (even diehard rivals such as Thomas Issac,E P Jayarajan and Elamaram Kareem had no option but to depend on VS image and charisma).
Story continues below this ad
Candidates from the official faction too had been upset with the leadership because of the confusion caused. They said the party had not yet decided who would lead the LDF in the Assembly. Many CPM leaders believe that if the leadership had not made attacks on VS during campaigning,voters would not have spurned them. The impression among voters,leaders feel,was that if the Left was voted back, the feud between VS and Vijayan would have continued for another season. This camps theory is that this is what kept impartial voters away.
The loss of CPM candidates in the party strongholds of Kuthuparamba,Azhikode and Peravoor in Kannur should put the Vijayan camp on the defensive. The party rank and file had strongly protested about Kuthuparamba seat,home of party martyrs,being given to minor ally Indian National League. They felt this was to ensure Muslim support for politburo member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan in Thalassery.
As a question rages on who should lead the party in the Assembly,VS once again becomes the talking point. Although the official faction will be against making VS leader of the Opposition,the party will need to take note of the public mood until,if ever,VS runs out of steam.
3 min read
