Hunts in politics are nothing new. This recurring reality in national and state politics has plagued the system for years. Whenever the power balance shifts, the incoming front announces investigations against the previous ministers in power. Despite the frequent arguments and controversies raging through the media, these investigations rarely lead anywhere and no one is ever held accountable. In the end, allegations of settlements between the two fronts often arise and the cases end in a stalemate.

Recently, the remark made by the KPCC president at a commemoration meeting stirred up controversy. He claimed that no other chief minister had been hounded by political rivals as much as Oommen Chandy. Given that Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan was present at the event, it prompted a response from CPM leaders. LDF convener E P Jayarajan refuted the claims stating that the CPM did not engage in any hunt against Oommen Chandy, emphasizing that their party's stance was issue-based rather than centered around individuals. Chief Minister Pinarayi also highlighted how he and his family have been targeted but such controversies are detrimental to both sides, as both have engaged in political hunts for various reasons. Looking back at history, even former Chief Minister Karunakaran faced relentless pursuit from his own party members due to internal issues. Those who once tried to oust Karunakaran from power on the grounds of the ISRO espionage case found themselves being hunted down in a reversal of fortunes, based on events that later proved to be mere smokescreens. Opposition leader V D Satheesan has alleged that the Left government has shown unnecessary haste to hand over the solar case to the CBI. Both sides will find many things to ask back and forth like this. No one can say for sure which is right and which is wrong.

The political landscape sees these hunts being strategically carried out with an eye on upcoming elections. Some tactics may yield results, while others may not. In the previous election, the opposition targeted Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his family, levelling serious allegations against them. However, despite these accusations, the Left Front secured a resounding victory, indicating that the people did not buy into the allegations. Similarly, the outpouring of support for Oommen Chandy during a recent homage event demonstrated that the public's perception of him remained unaffected by the accusations leveled against him. These hunts are likely to repeat in the future, given the deplorable state of politics today. It is high time for all political parties to display at least a semblance of dignity and refrain from dragging family members into the mire of political mudslinging, even when targeting leaders.