CPM plans to take ED issue to national level, eyes INDIA bloc's support

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM has extended its full support to Pinarayi Vijayan and state secretariat member P A Mohammed Riyas over the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) actions. The party is preparing to expose what it describes as the ED’s political move before the public and take the issue to the national level.

The CPM wants the Congress national leadership to clarify its position on the ED’s letter against Pinarayi Vijayan. The issue will also be raised in the INDIA bloc. The CPM believes that other parties in the alliance will support the move against one of its key leaders who has taken a strong stand against the BJP. If the Congress national leadership takes a different position, the issue could also have an impact on relations within the alliance. Pinarayi Vijayan and senior CPM leaders, including M A Baby, will explain the party’s position at public meetings.

No silence; party to oppose move openly

The CPM has decided that Pinarayi Vijayan should not remain silent on the issue and must explain his position to the public. After the state committee meeting held on Tuesday, senior party leaders discussed the matter and agreed to explain the political motives behind the ED’s letter to the DGP and its move to register a case.

The party believes that remaining silent could create confusion and misunderstandings among the public. On Wednesday morning, state secretary M V Govindan and secretariat member M V Jayarajan strongly criticised the ED’s letter. By evening, the Politburo and General Secretary M A Baby also criticised the action.

The CPM believes that the UDF will use the ED’s letter for political purposes. If that happens, the party plans to counter it by raising the alleged BJP-UDF deal, an allegation already made by M A Baby. Another strategy is to put pressure on the Congress by demanding an investigation into UDF leaders who allegedly received donations from CMRL.

Four-point strategy for defence

• Oppose the ED move openly instead of remaining silent.
• Take the issue to the national level and bring the Congress national leadership into the discussion.
• Raise the alleged BJP-UDF deal.
• Counter the allegations by highlighting the Congress’s alleged links to the transactions.