Pinarayi losing grip in party; when questions rise against the chief minister from CPM

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Following the vigilance raid in KSFE, CPM is gearing up to steer the chief minister, who was an unquestionable power centre within the party. Even though ministers including Thomas Issac blames vigilance for the raids, party leaders think that the CM should be held responsible as the finance ministry is under his control. The party leadership which heard much blame from different corners for failing to limit the chief minister’s power during the secretaryship of Kodiyeri Balakrishnan now has openly registered its protest and condemn against the chief minister.

CPM leaders hold the view that they cannot stay silent anymore as the chief minister’s office is getting into controversies one after the other. It started with CPM polit bureau member M A Baby's open remarks against the controversial police amendment act. Following that, party secretary A Vijayaraghavan also said that lapses had happened while formulating the law.

Many unusual things are happening in CPM, which were unheard of in the past four years of Pinarayi Vijayan government. Apart from Thomas Issac, senior leader Anathalavattom Anandan has also lashed out at vigilance for the raids at KSFE. Party and government were centred around the cliff house in Thiruvananthapuram in the past four years of Pinarayi Vijayan government. During this period, CPM got limited as a ratifying agency which gives nod to all political and administrative decisions of the government. The chief minister has never seen any dissenting voices in the state secretariat also in the mean time. But everything is witnessing a revolutionary change now.

As the recent row over KSFE puts home ministry against the finance ministry, many in the party have openly declared support to finance minister Thomas Issac. The most important question being raised is whether the raids were conducted with CM’s knowledge, on an institution like KSFE, where the faith of millions rests upon. The gravity of the issue is higher in the context that the chief minister was unaware of the raids despite his advisor having prior information about it.

The open remarks of party leaders also signal that the government cannot take important decisions hereafter without the leadership’s concurrence. The party leadership that was silent over the controversies which started with sprinkler row has strengthened its stand now with the change in leadership, is another important development.

With opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala’s statement that the party is hatching political moves against the chief minister and BJP chief K Surendran’s allegation that finance minister is threatening vigilance, the KSFE raids have become ‘a hot electoral issue,’ which could impede the party’s prospects in the upcoming local body polls.

Most of the leaders in CPM shares the common disappointment in the party as the state home ministry has become the seat of controversies, while elections are around the corner. The party leaders raise the question when officials are gearing up to hatch sabotage during this election period why should the government provide a conducive ground to them? They are also dissatisfied over the state government’s arm providing bait to centre to take action against the government, at a time when the centre is using its probe agencies for impeding development projects on graft charges and the party and government protesting over them.

Whereas the vigilance department has said that the raids were carried out on written complaints. Therefore, the chief minister might get ready to evaluate the merit of the case. Even though the chief minister sought clarification from the department, reports say that vigilance might issue a press note over the raids. The CPM state secretariat to be held in the coming week will discuss the issue in detail.