Rift in Kerala LDF: CPI, CPI(M) at loggerheads over Deputy Leader post

The recent public disagreement between the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Communist Party of India over the post of Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly highlights deeper fissures within the Left Democratic Front. While the immediate trigger is a specific position, the dispute is symptomatic of longstanding concerns over leadership and decision-making in the alliance.

The LDF's defeat in the Kerala Assembly elections earlier this year has prompted introspection in both parties. The CPI(M) conducted a post-mortem, described by senior leader M.A. Baby as an honest attempt to understand the reasons for the electoral setback. This exercise reportedly revealed unease among party workers about the concentration of power. The CPI also carried out a similar review, during which its leadership faced uncomfortable questions.

However, not all members are optimistic about the outcomes. Lower-level CPI(M) functionaries have expressed displeasure over their exclusion from the extended state committee meeting in Kozhikode, despite the inclusion of representatives from mass organisations. They also feel compelled to defend the financial allegations against T. Veena, daughter of Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan.

The CPI's grievances are more deep-rooted. Over the past decade, the party has clashed with the CPI(M) on multiple issues, including encounter killings of suspected Maoists, the anti-encroachment drive in Munnar, the application of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and the SilverLine railway project. While previous differences were resolved through dialogue between then-leaders Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and Kanam Rajendran, the current standoff appears more public and intractable.

Binoy Viswam, who succeeded Kanam Rajendran as CPI state secretary, initially faced criticism within his party for being too accommodating of Mr. Vijayan. However, the CPI's stiff opposition to the LDF government's decision to sign up for the PM SHRI scheme without consulting the front marked a turning point. The government was forced to backtrack, and the episode widened the rift. CPI(M) leaders accuse the CPI of feigning ideological purity, while the CPI views the CPI(M) as authoritarian and insufficiently democratic.

At the centre of the current tussle is the selection of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition. The CPI(M) has proposed central committee member K.N. Balagopal, while the CPI is backing its parliamentary party leader K. Rajan. Both parties acknowledge that the Opposition has lacked a united agenda in the Assembly, as was evident during the first session of the present 16th Kerala Assembly.

Mr. Vijayan has insisted that the post should go to the CPI(M). In contrast, LDF convener T.P. Ramakrishnan has adopted a conciliatory approach, favouring dialogue. Veteran CPI leader C. Divakaran has asserted that nobody has a monopoly over the Left, underscoring the depth of the disagreement.

Sources indicate that Mr. Vijayan, who has been given exemptions from various organisational and parliamentary roles, may eventually step down as Leader of the Opposition, but no timeline has been set. Until then, the issue remains unresolved, leaving the LDF's internal unity under strain. The public nature of the dispute is unusual for the front, which has generally presented a unified image. How the matter is settled will likely have a bearing on the alliance's future direction.