THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Sabarimala issue has become troublesome for the Left Front, which has enthusiastically entered the fray by focusing the election campaign around development and care.

After CPM General Secretary Sitaram Yechury rejected the apology made by Devaswom Minister Kadakampally Surendran to the believers for the government's stand on the Supreme Court verdict on the admission of women, the campaign has been focused on Sabarimala as the UDF and BJP took it up as election weapon and the NSS took over the issue. This has become an uphill task for the Left Front in the campaign.

Although the UDF had raised the issue of Sabarimala before the election campaign against, the CPM, which had been careful not to fall into that trap as it was an emotional issue related to faith, could not remain silent now. Yechury's unexpected response was like a double whammy, amid growing opinion among party leaders that the minister's remorse was unwarranted. When Yechury said that the government's position was correct and that it was not clear why Kadakampally was expressing regret, the government and the CPM were compelled to explain.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who was strong in enforcing the women's entry verdict, yesterday said that the final verdict would be implemented only after consultation with all. With that, the party's change in its position created confusion among the party workers. Meanwhile, the discussion was further fueled by a statement by NSS General Secretary GS Sukumaran Nair's retaliation put the party on the defensive once again.

The Left leadership, which is working hard to retain power, does not want to discuss anything that could hinder it. Recognizing this, the UDF and the BJP are working hard to stir up the believers on the Sabarimala issue across the state. In Tripunithura, there was an indication regarding this after the former chief priest of Sabarimala came to pay the election deposit of Congress candidate K Babu.