On the threshold of general elections,CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan has managed to dictate not just the line of his own party but that of the allies as well. The constituents of the Left Democratic Front CPI,JD(S),RSP and Kerala Congress (Joseph) are at a loss on how to counter Pinarayi,a juggernaut who has trained his guns on the LDF juniors after cutting a wide swathe through the rival faction in the CPI(M). A close perusal of the recent political developments reveal that Pinarayi had succeeded in forming loyal groups in the CPI and KC(J). He had wrecked the JD(S),even as he ejected his other detractors from the LDF. In the electoral alliance with the Peoples Democratic Party,Pinarayis writ prevailed in the LDF,while allies were kept in the dark. The Pinarayi effect had become evident in the CPI the second largest LDF segment during the selection of a candidate for the Ponnani seat held by the CPI. In a meticulous manner,Pinarayi forced CPI assistant secretaries K E Ismail and C N Chandran to accept PDP-backed Independent Hussain Randathani as the candidate. Ismail and Chandran objected to the candidature of Randathani after the CPI state executive pulled up the two leaders for the deal,which had been made without the partys consent. This is not the first time that the CPI faced embarrassment after a section of its leaders sailed together with Pinarayi,disregarding the partys sentiments. On allowing private SEZs in Kerala,the CPI was forced to toe Pinarayis line even before a deliberation within that party or the LDF. That time also Ismail and Chandran had drawn flak from their party executive for accepting the CPI(M) agenda on SEZs. Though the CPI trade union lobby had raised a hue and cry against the SEZ policy,it fell on deaf ears. The present predicament of the JD(S) can be traced down to Pinarayis bitterness towards its state president M P Veerendrakumar. The Malayalam daily,Mathrubhumi,managed by Veerendrakumar,had exposed a couple of alleged financial scams in the CPI(M) in 2007. Since then,Veerendrakumar had been the target of Pinarayis wrath. Finally,the bad blood between them culminated in the denial of the sitting seat for the JD(S). Besides,as an offshoot,Pinarayi has almost made certain a split in the JD(S),further weakening the turf of Veerendrakumar. Being close to the CPI(M) faction led by V S Achuthanandan also turned fatal for the JD(S). Next to fall from Pinarayis good graces was Kerala Congress (Secular) legislator P C George. A confidant of Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan,George had tried to expose corruption cases involving CPI(M) leaders. At the end of the Munnar eviction in 2007,which the CPI(M)s official faction had opposed,George was shown the door by the LDF. He is now cooling his heels,expecting an entry into the Congress-led United Democratic Front. In Kerala Congress (Joseph),a Catholic-dominated regional party in the LDF,Pinarayi has his man P C Thomas MP,who had been a state minister of law in the NDA government. Pinarayi had tried his best to get Thomas nominated from Ernakulam seat,even after duly allotting another seat to KC(J). During the last Lok Sabha elections,NDA-backed Thomas had been a surprise winner from Muvattupuzha constituency,where the CPI(M) candidate had been expected to romp home in a triangular contest. The CPI(M) circles are still abuzz with speculation about vote trading in favour of Thomas in 2004. The RSP,too,had felt the impact of Pinarayi,who had played a critical role in the dethronement of R S Chandrachoodan as the party state secretary last year. But later,Chandrachoodan emerged as the national general secretary of the party. He had invited the wrath of Pinarayi for being close to Achuthanandan. Pinarayis supremacy was in display during the selection of candidates this time as well. Disregarding the protest from Kozhikode,Ernakulam,and Kannur district committees,Muhammed Riyas,Sindhu Joy and K K Ragesh were nominated as candidates for the respective constituencies. The district committees had raised doubts about the ability of the young comrades to take on seasoned politicians from the Congress camp. By fielding the young comrades,Pinarayi wanted to neutralise the anti-party sentiments prevailing against the backdrop of the Lavalin scam and the anti-incumbency factor.
