'Party will defend Pinarayi in ED probe, but not his daughter'; criticism raised at CPM Area Committee meeting

KOLLAM: Strong criticism was reportedly raised against Opposition Leader Pinarayi Vijayan during a meeting of the CPM's Kollam Area Committee. Party members questioned the leadership's handling of recent issues and the party's poor performance in the Assembly elections. According to reports, some members said that party workers would stand by Pinarayi Vijayan if he faced an Enforcement Directorate (ED) investigation, but argued that party members should not be expected to defend his daughter, Veena Vijayan, if she came under investigation.

Members also blamed Pinarayi Vijayan for the party's heavy defeat in the Assembly elections. They questioned how new supporters could be attracted to the party, which, even after facing a humiliating defeat, conducted voting to elect the Opposition Leader. Some members demanded that Pinarayi step down as Opposition Leader and take responsibility for the election setback. The meeting also criticised the party's central leadership, describing it as a major failure and calling for organisational restructuring.

Criticism was also directed at CPM state secretary M. V. Govindan. Leaders said his wife should not have been fielded as a candidate, arguing that the decision had weakened party workers' trust in the leadership. Some members claimed that even party supporters had stopped watching M.V. Govindan's press conferences. They also alleged that the leadership had failed to resolve issues in Payyannur and Taliparamba. Members said that campaign boards prominently featuring only Pinarayi Vijayan's image, similar to commercial advertisements, created negative public perception. They further called for an inquiry into the public relations company that allegedly advised the campaign's outdated promotional approach.