The existential crisis staring the Communist Party of India (Marxist) following its decimation in West Bengal and political isolation at the national level has deepened with party veteran VS Achuthanandan raising a banner of revolt in the state unit in Kerala, another party bastion in the country.
The 92-year-old leader pushed the party to the edge by boycotting the state conference that began last week in Alappuzha with central leaders including Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechury in attendance. The conference was meant to focus attention on the challenges faced by the party in the wake of the rise of Bharatiya Janata Party, which is also making its presence felt in Kerala. But Achuthanandan's tantrum drowned the conference proceedings.
The party has served a warning to its only surviving founder leader by dropping him from the state committee. However, it has left a slot vacant for the nonagenarian leader to return by toeing the party line. But Achuthanandan has shown no sign of relenting.
Turf battles
The present flareup is the culmination of the long-drawn tussle between the party veteran and his bête noir and outgoing state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan. Achuthanandan fuelled the tussle by dashing off a letter to the politburo on the eve of the crucial state conference, demanding action on the issues he has raised from time to time.
When the letter found its way to the media, the party secretariat intervened. The nonagenarian leader viewed the secretariat resolution, dubbing him an “anti-party” leader and the criticism by the conference delegates, as humiliating. He walked out of the conference, after walking up to Karat and saying "goodbye".
He was ready to return if the remark against him was withdrawn but the party refused. Achuthanandan had hoped that the central leadership would intervene in his favour, the way it did when he was denied a seat to contest the assembly elections in 1996 and 2006. But this time it was in no mood to give in to his tactics.
Mass leader
In the past, the central leadership came to the veteran leader's rescue because of his mass following. Achuthanandan had struck a chord with the masses by leading a crusade against corruption. But he started losing friends after he took his crusade against corruption to the party.
Confrontation with the state leadership started brewing after he tried to portray his party rival, Vijayan, as corrupt. Vijayan viewed the corruption charge that Achuthanandan levelled against him in the SNC Lavalin deal, which related to contracts for hydroelectric projects, as part of an attempt to finish him politically.
The central leadership also did not take kindly to his attempt to put the party in the dock over the murder of party rebel TP Chandrashekharan. It forced him to toe the party line in the case by publicly censoring him. Achuthanandan was also twice removed from the party politburo for breaching party discipline.
Indiscipline
Many in the party feel that he could continue the acts of indiscipline as he considered himself above the party. This is against the Communist principles. The CPI (M) has removed many top leaders, including MV Raghavan and KR Gowriamma, on similar grounds in the past.
But in the case of Achuthanandan, the party seemed to waver. The party strongly feels that Achuthanandan will ultimately give in as he no longer enjoys the level of support he got in the past from his followers in the party and outside. The party has noted that its decision to keep him out of the state committee has not evoked much protest.
This was not the case in 1996 and 2006 when he was denied the Assembly seat. His supporters had hit the streets against the decision in several parts of the state forcing the central leadership of the CPI (M) to intervene in his favour. The protest this time was confined to a few pockets.
This is mainly because Achuthanandan’s followers themselves have felt betrayed by the change of stand he made on some issues. The senior leader disappointed his followers when he accepted the party line on the Chandrashekharan murder despite conviction of three CPI (M) leaders in the sensational case.
Loss of support base to the BJP
Political observers view the softer approach the party had adopted towards the party veteran as a sign of the party’s weakness than the strength of Achuthanandan. The party has been steadily losing its base in the state. The defeat of the party in the Vatakara Lok Sabha seat is seen as fallout of the Chandrashekharan murder.
The political observers point out the repeated failures of its strikes in the last few years as another sign of declining support base. The party was forced to call off a secretariat march and the picketing of chief minister Oommen Chandy’s residence due to lack of ground support.
The steady flow of cadres to the BJP in some of its traditional strongholds like Kannur is a warning to the party. The BJP is trying to occupy the CPI (M) space in Kerala by wooing the lower class Hindus, who form the backbone of the Communist parties. The state conference has decided to counter the threat by championing their causes aggressively.
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The 92-year-old leader pushed the party to the edge by boycotting the state conference that began last week in Alappuzha with central leaders including Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechury in attendance. The conference was meant to focus attention on the challenges faced by the party in the wake of the rise of Bharatiya Janata Party, which is also making its presence felt in Kerala. But Achuthanandan's tantrum drowned the conference proceedings.
The party has served a warning to its only surviving founder leader by dropping him from the state committee. However, it has left a slot vacant for the nonagenarian leader to return by toeing the party line. But Achuthanandan has shown no sign of relenting.
Turf battles
The present flareup is the culmination of the long-drawn tussle between the party veteran and his bête noir and outgoing state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan. Achuthanandan fuelled the tussle by dashing off a letter to the politburo on the eve of the crucial state conference, demanding action on the issues he has raised from time to time.
When the letter found its way to the media, the party secretariat intervened. The nonagenarian leader viewed the secretariat resolution, dubbing him an “anti-party” leader and the criticism by the conference delegates, as humiliating. He walked out of the conference, after walking up to Karat and saying "goodbye".
He was ready to return if the remark against him was withdrawn but the party refused. Achuthanandan had hoped that the central leadership would intervene in his favour, the way it did when he was denied a seat to contest the assembly elections in 1996 and 2006. But this time it was in no mood to give in to his tactics.
Mass leader
In the past, the central leadership came to the veteran leader's rescue because of his mass following. Achuthanandan had struck a chord with the masses by leading a crusade against corruption. But he started losing friends after he took his crusade against corruption to the party.
Confrontation with the state leadership started brewing after he tried to portray his party rival, Vijayan, as corrupt. Vijayan viewed the corruption charge that Achuthanandan levelled against him in the SNC Lavalin deal, which related to contracts for hydroelectric projects, as part of an attempt to finish him politically.
The central leadership also did not take kindly to his attempt to put the party in the dock over the murder of party rebel TP Chandrashekharan. It forced him to toe the party line in the case by publicly censoring him. Achuthanandan was also twice removed from the party politburo for breaching party discipline.
Indiscipline
Many in the party feel that he could continue the acts of indiscipline as he considered himself above the party. This is against the Communist principles. The CPI (M) has removed many top leaders, including MV Raghavan and KR Gowriamma, on similar grounds in the past.
But in the case of Achuthanandan, the party seemed to waver. The party strongly feels that Achuthanandan will ultimately give in as he no longer enjoys the level of support he got in the past from his followers in the party and outside. The party has noted that its decision to keep him out of the state committee has not evoked much protest.
This was not the case in 1996 and 2006 when he was denied the Assembly seat. His supporters had hit the streets against the decision in several parts of the state forcing the central leadership of the CPI (M) to intervene in his favour. The protest this time was confined to a few pockets.
This is mainly because Achuthanandan’s followers themselves have felt betrayed by the change of stand he made on some issues. The senior leader disappointed his followers when he accepted the party line on the Chandrashekharan murder despite conviction of three CPI (M) leaders in the sensational case.
Loss of support base to the BJP
Political observers view the softer approach the party had adopted towards the party veteran as a sign of the party’s weakness than the strength of Achuthanandan. The party has been steadily losing its base in the state. The defeat of the party in the Vatakara Lok Sabha seat is seen as fallout of the Chandrashekharan murder.
The political observers point out the repeated failures of its strikes in the last few years as another sign of declining support base. The party was forced to call off a secretariat march and the picketing of chief minister Oommen Chandy’s residence due to lack of ground support.
The steady flow of cadres to the BJP in some of its traditional strongholds like Kannur is a warning to the party. The BJP is trying to occupy the CPI (M) space in Kerala by wooing the lower class Hindus, who form the backbone of the Communist parties. The state conference has decided to counter the threat by championing their causes aggressively.