Peravoor gamble: Is CPM trying to sideline Shailaja?

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: As Kerala moves toward the Assembly elections, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) is preparing for a possible third consecutive term in power. However, the decision to field K K Shailaja, a Central Committee member of the CPM and one of its most popular leaders, in the relatively difficult Peravoor constituency in Kannur has sparked discontent within the party and the front. Shailaja, who won from Mattannur in the 2021 Assembly elections with a record majority of 60,963 votes, has been denied the Mattannur seat this time. This has led to dissatisfaction among party workers.

In 2011, the current KPCC president Sunny Joseph defeated Shailaja, who was then the sitting MLA, to enter the Assembly for the first time. He retained the Peravoor seat in 2016 and 2021 as well. Even after becoming KPCC president, Sunny Joseph has maintained a strong presence in the constituency.

Like Irikkur, Peravoor has a significant population of Christian settler farmers and is generally considered a UDF-leaning constituency. Within party circles, there is speculation that sending Shailaja to contest against Sunny Joseph is a risky move and may be a strategy by some leaders to sideline her.

Although Shailaja attended the CPM district committee meeting where the decision was taken not to include her in the Kannur candidate list, she did not express her opinion as she is a member of a higher committee. Some district committee members reportedly asked whether she could at least be considered for Peravoor, but the leadership did not agree. Shailaja is said to have indicated that she would contest only if she is given Mattannur.

Record majority turns a problem

The party leadership argues that anyone can win in seats where the CPM performed strongly in the last election, and that it is not necessary for the sitting MLA to be fielded again. However, critics say this rule seems to apply only to certain leaders. In the 1996 Assembly elections, the LDF won a majority, but V S Achuthanandan, who was expected to become Chief Minister, lost in the election. He was reportedly a victim of internal groupism within the party at the time. Though such factionalism is believed to have reduced now, some observers feel that there is a calculated attempt to sideline Shailaja, who is seen as a potential candidate to become the first woman Chief Minister from the CPM and represents a backward community.

“Why am I being isolated?”
During discussions in the state secretariat, Shailaja reportedly became emotional and questioned why she was being isolated. It was after this that the party asked her if she would be willing to contest from Peravoor. The role of CPM General Secretary M A Baby has also come under discussion, as he is said not to have intervened in the matter. Former minister G Sudhakaran had reportedly told Baby that he was interested in contesting, but there are no reports of the General Secretary taking action on that either.