Thiruvananthapuram: CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam on Sunday stated that the previous LDF government mishandled the protest by Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs). He asserted that the LDF should have adopted a different approach in addressing the agitation and must not behave like a right-wing government. A Left government should never disrespect workers' protests or look down upon them, but that is exactly what happened, he remarked.
ASHAs Alienated from Left Movement
Viswam emphasized that ASHAs should naturally have been close to the Left movement, yet the front distanced them. He described the electoral drubbing as a warning that communists must prioritize the people. Acknowledging mistakes, he urged the LDF to correct them and move forward. He also cautioned against 'personality cults' within the LDF, labeling such tendencies as a serious error.
Electoral Defeat Prompts Review
The CPI is currently evaluating how the LDF was reduced to just 35 seats in the 140-member Kerala Assembly. The Kerala ASHA Health Workers Association had staged a prolonged protest last year, demanding a hike in their honorarium to Rs 21,000 and retirement benefits of Rs 5 lakh. The LDF government had rejected these demands.
Deputy Opposition Leader Post Dispute
Amid indications that former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan may be chosen as the opposition leader in the assembly, Viswam claimed that the deputy opposition leader's post rightfully belongs to the CPI and expressed confidence that the party would secure it. Responding to arguments from CPM leaders that the post lacks constitutional backing, Viswam acknowledged the fact but pointed out that the practice exists in Kerala's political system. He argued that there is no rule requiring the opposition leader and deputy opposition leader to be from the same party. 'Some conventions must change. This is one such convention that must change and it will change,' he said.
Internal Party Dynamics
Referring to discussions over leadership changes within the CPI, Viswam stated that calls on Facebook demanding his resignation were not the communist way of functioning. The CPI had earlier differed with the CPM over the handling of the ASHA workers' protest, although the party had refrained from publicly escalating its disagreement. Following the LDF's massive defeat in the elections, the CPI is now articulating its dissent openly.
