CPI to take tough stand against Pinarayi Vijayan; may skip next LDF meeting

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPI is likely to take a tougher stand against Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan over the issue of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition post. The CPI state secretariat, scheduled to meet on September 10, will decide whether the party should attend the upcoming LDF meeting. The leadership is also considering holding the meeting before September 10 in view of the current situation.

The LDF meeting is scheduled for next month. A section of the CPI leadership believes the party should not continue in the alliance at the cost of its dignity. Another section, however, feels there is no need to rush into a decision.

The CPI leadership maintains that it agreed to attend the LDF meeting because bilateral discussions were underway over the Deputy Leader's post. The party had not raised the issue at the front meeting while the talks were in progress.

However, the CPI leadership feels that statements made by Pinarayi Vijayan during the ongoing discussions amounted to an insult to the party. The CPI has made it clear that it will not accept his style of functioning.

The party also believes that Pinarayi Vijayan's style was one of the reasons for the LDF's major setback in the last Assembly election. The leadership feels that there has been no change in his approach despite the significant defeat.

Apart from sitting as a separate bloc in the Assembly and staying away from LDF meetings, the CPI leadership is also considering temporarily suspending cooperation with the LDF at the local level.

The CPI had demanded the post of Deputy Leader of the Opposition after the election results were announced. The party leadership believes that allowing one party to hold all key positions is not in line with the coalition system.