NEW DELHI: CPM general secretary MA Baby on Monday said it was wrong to single out outgoing Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for taking moral responsibility for the party's defeat in the state after a decade in power. His remarks came following a meeting of the CPM's politburo, during which the Kerala assembly election outcome was analyzed.
Collective Responsibility Emphasized
“Why should Pinarayi Vijayan be singled out to take moral responsibility for the defeat in Kerala? Our party is a collective entity. He is the senior-most member in the politburo and central committee. When we went into the polls as a collective, we said that he is leading the campaign and if we get a majority, we will decide on who will be the chief minister,” Baby told reporters.
“No single comrade should be held responsible. We, the leadership, will assess the poll results in detail, reach out to people in our organization at all levels, look at the shortcomings and the role of leadership as a collective. We will self-criticize and take corrective measures and put in place the rectification process,” he added.
Significance Amid Criticism of 'Brand Pinarayi'
Baby's remarks gain significance as they come at a time when, amid the severe setback in Kerala, the centralized leadership model described as 'Brand Pinarayi' and the election campaign centered around his governance have faced criticism. However, the CPI(M) has been refuting all criticism, firmly holding the view that there is no place within the party for 'cult politics' and that the campaign was not a one-man show.
Broader Election Analysis
Discussing the overall impact of the assembly elections across four states and a union territory, Baby said the “ascendancy of the right reactionary forces” in most places, except Tamil Nadu, is something that secular and democratic forces need to take note of with all seriousness.
Even in Kerala, Baby noted that the defeat of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) was a serious setback to left and democratic forces. He said the LDF government did commendable work for 10 years in the face of “the very vindictive attitude of the central government which tried to financially strangulate the state government.”
“The reasons as to why LDF had to suffer this setback in Kerala is a matter of serious concern. Another disturbing development from Kerala was that the BJP was able to win three seats and LDF came second in these seats. This was worrying in a state like Kerala, which is very famous for its secular and democratic traditions,” he added.
Baby said the party's central committee will meet from May 22 to 24 to conduct an in-depth analysis of the election results, including the setback in Kerala and the situation related to elections in West Bengal.
Tamil Nadu: Support for TVK
Calling the victory of Vijay's Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in Tamil Nadu spectacular, Baby shared that the CPM, CPI, and other friendly parties were able to take a very timely stand to ensure that horse-trading can be averted and the verdict of the people honored.
On why the CPM chose to give support from outside and not join the government in Tamil Nadu, Baby said, “We have two MLAs, CPI and VCK also have two MLAs each. We won these seats as part of the DMK front. Now this (TVK) is another political formation. The people's verdict is in favor of TVK. In the given circumstances, political morality demands that it is not proper for us to take a decision now to join the government.”
“The invitation is there for all three parties to join the Tamil Nadu government. As a party, we believe that to be part of the government, we need to have substantial numbers to have a substantial say. So, we have very rationally justified our stand. We are inside the democratic process but outside the government in Tamil Nadu,” he added.
Historical Context: Jyoti Basu's Prime Ministership Offer
To drive home the point that the CPM puts its ideology and principles first, Baby recalled that in 1996, when then West Bengal Chief Minister Jyoti Basu was offered the prime ministership, the central committee of the party decided against accepting it to lead the United Front government. The CPM had then taken the position that participating in a 'bourgeois' coalition government at the Centre, without having a majority of its own, would prevent them from implementing left-leaning policies.
While many seniors, including then-general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet, had supported Basu, a powerful hardline faction within the party voted against the move. Basu silently accepted the party's decision at that stage but later cited it as a “historical blunder” and a missed opportunity for Indian communists to influence national politics.
