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CPM lets anger fizzle out

Party adopted a liberal approach towards protests, allowing cadre to vent its feelings.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After the series of protests and poster war by a section of CPM cadre and sympathisers against the choice of candidates, the party state secretariat has now got its act together to resolve the problems in different districts.

Sources said the CPM leadership had adopted a liberal approach towards the protests and demonstrations organised by party workers, sympathisers and Left fellow travellers in some parts of the state especially in Pathanamthitta and Wadakancherry, allowing them to vent their feelings. Publicly though the leadership sought to underplay the protests saying that party members were not involved in such protest activities.

It may be noted that opposition had emerged mainly against candidates who were picked from outside party fold. Over the past one week, the state secretariat coordinated effectively with district leadership and even leaders at the area and local committee level to offset these protests.

The fire fighting team led by Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, secretariat members M V Govindan Master, E P Jayarajan had visited problem districts.
At some places, the party decided to crack the whip especially against public defiance of district leadership's recommendation on candidates.

Action was initiated against a couple of party members for breaching organisational discipline. Leaders from whom workers were carrying out protests, demonstrations and writing posters, were advised to set the record straight. A case in point is that of Ernakulam district secretary P Rajeev. There was a concerted campaign alleging that Rajeev was deliberately being kept out of electoral fray.

However, with Rajeev himself stating that his name was never recommended for Tripunithura, the protests came to an end. Political observers say the protests witnessed against official candidates are not serious in nature. More than factionalism, these protests and demonstrations were triggered by regional and local aspirations of the workers.

As Kodiyeri Balakrishnan put it, “All protests will end once the final candidates list is announced. Many people taking part in such protests have nothing to do with the party. The LDF workers will rally behind the front candidates and work for their success.”

( Source : Deccan Chronicle. )
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