‘I only said what is in the central committee’s report,’ Thomas Isaac firm in his stand

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM central committee member Dr Thomas Isaac said that there is no change in his stand regarding the party’s defeat in the assembly elections. He said that he had only spoken about the things contained in the report prepared by the central committee after discussions at various levels of the party. Thomas Isaac while talking to the media asked whether it was correct to say that the people were responsible for the defeat.

‘The state committee and the central committee have approved two documents on the election defeat after discussions in the party. I have not said anything that is not mentioned in those documents. I still don’t understand how you have turned this into such a sensational issue. You only need to read what I actually said. There is no need to read things into my words that I did not say and create a controversy. Everything I said was entirely based on the central committee’s resolution. In a discussion that lasted an hour, I spoke about this for only five minutes. Is it right to say that the people are responsible for the defeat?’ asked Thomas Isaac.

What Thomas Isaac said yesterday

The defeat suffered by the LDF in the assembly elections was a kind of shock treatment for the arrogance that had grown during its ten years in power. Party workers became arrogant after being in power for ten years. Corruption in cooperative banks was a setback for the party. People believed the campaign that the BJP had made a deal with us. Some of our statements also helped such propaganda. The attitude now seems to be that it is better if someone leaves the party. Then there would be no need to answer his questions. The position seems to be that only those who are loyal believers are enough for us.

This needs to be understood and corrected. The people should feel that we have improved. This is not the old era. Even I should be careful when I speak like this. I should check whether someone is recording what I say, with a tape recorder or otherwise. I spoke so much only because I did not see anyone recording it. People deposit money in cooperative banks because they trust the party. Have we behaved in a manner that protects and preserves that trust? The people have not rejected us. They do not hate us either. The LDF will win again in the 2029 assembly elections.

Mobilisation against Pinarayi
There are reports of moves within the CPM against Pinarayi Vijayan, who rejected the central committee report that attributed the heavy defeat in the assembly elections to shortcomings in the state leadership. A section of party leaders is reportedly making this move with the support of the central leadership. They are arguing that Pinarayi’s line is not the party line. The criticism is that Pinarayi Vijayan has completely rejected the report approved by the central committee and published on the party website.

The central leadership’s review report said that shortcomings in the leadership and style of functioning of leaders including Pinarayi Vijayan and M V Govindan, as well as problems in candidate selection, contributed to the defeat. However, the political explanations given by Pinarayi Vijayan in Payyannur and Taliparamba are contrary to this report. Pinarayi blamed the party cadres for the defeat. His statement that the defeat occurred because party workers were misled is being viewed by critics as an indication that he is unwilling to acknowledge the party’s mistakes.

A section of party leaders is demanding answers to why political explanation meetings were held only in Payyannur and Taliparamba, where both the central and state committees had pointed out failures in candidate selection, and why Pinarayi presented his own position while rejecting the report approved by the state and central committees.