'Not even qualified to become branch secretary; Pinarayi Vijayan should vacate opposition leader position'

ALAPPUZHA: A demand arose in the CPM Alappuzha district secretariat asking Pinarayi Vijayan to voluntarily give up the opposition leader position, considering the humiliating defeat in the assembly polls. There was also severe criticism against state secretary M.V. Govindan. The secretariat blamed the below-par organisational structure for failing to resist the challenge raised by rebel G. Sudhakaran.

From the secretariat:

“There is no point in hiding the fact that public sentiment was against Pinarayi Vijayan. The state secretary even lacks the leadership quality of a branch secretary. If this style continues, CPM is not going to come to power anytime soon. G. Sudhakaran should have been ousted earlier. Pinarayi Vijayan’s occasional use of uncouth remarks also turned a bane for the party.

Fielding M.V. Govindan's wife in Taliparamba was a blunder. The state committee should be reorganised. The reason for the defeat was the minority integration in Ambalapuzha.”

District Secretary R. Nassar was also severely criticised. The remarks made by Nassar after the election were deemed inappropriate.

About G Sudhakaran:

G. Sudhakaran should have been made the candidate in Ambalappuzha without any controversy. If Sudhakaran had been made the candidate, the heavy defeat in the district could have been avoided. Sudhakaran should have contested in Ambalappuzha, C.S. Sujatha in Kayamkulam, R. Nassar in Alappuzha and Thomas Isaac in Aroor. The leaders who grew up in Sudhakaran's shadow were responsible for ousting the veteran leader.