There was little doubt till the other day who would be Chief Minister if the Left won the coming assembly elections in Kerala: state CPI(M) secretary Pinarayi Vijayan. But with Prakash Karat’s firm no to Vijayan’s grand trans-Left alliance with Congress rebel K Karunakaran, Vijayan is not out but several notches down. This winnable party has to soon zero in on a chief ministerial candidate or campaign faceless and risk losing votes.For several months the once-steely party has functioned as two openly battling camps. By poll time the dominant group led by Vijayan was expected to marginalise rival V S Achuthanandan, an 80-plus but agile warhorse. Unusual for the Marxists, Vijayan had undertaken a statewide march that was clearly meant to tell the public who the CM would be and the Central Committee who the Kerala boss was.Bigger boss Prakash struck, however, leaving the field pretty much open for Achuthanandan.Speaking to The Indian Express from Cantonment House, the official residence of the leader of the Opposition, a relaxed Achuthanandan said that it would be in the party’s interest to project a leader in the campaign. Known for his expressive body language, he left little to doubt who that should be. He is contesting from the Malampuzha constituency, which he represents now. It is safer than any in his home district Alleppey. There, in Mararikulam, he suffered his most shattering electoral upset in 1996 even as the party won the state and he was a mere step away from the chief ministership. Earlier in 1991, his chief ministerial prospects were bright enough and he won, but the party lost. When the younger Vijayan seized the opportunity recently to present himself as a pragmatic Buddhadeb in the making, the veteran Marxist hardened his stance against anything reformist—like ADB loans or FDI. The man, however, isn’t inflexible. Once feared within the party for presiding over purges and outside for his fierce agitational politics, Achuthanandan’s current stint in the opposition benches is well regarded. Many, including left-baiters, speak of him as a just politician who responds promptly to public grievances.Kerala’s considerable graying electorate with dimming political loyalties as well as the politically unattached young are looking for governance this time. There could be many floating votes to be wooed. It would be Achuthanandan’s task to attract them. But the party has entrust the job to him first. Vijayan is far from a write-off and some dark horses are already being mentioned—Paloly Mohammad Kutty and S Ramachandran Pillai.
