The ongoing spat between the Kerala Congress (M) [KC(M)] and the CPI appears to be taking a turn for the worse with KC(M) chairman K.M. Mani joining issue with CPI State secretary Kanam Rajendran and dubbing the CPI “a party lying in the grave.”
Mr. Mani who is usually known for keeping refinement while criticising opponents was angered by the critical remarks by CPI chief who had described KC(M) as a “party on deathbed seeking ventilator support” the other day, said sources close to him.
Speaking to media persons at his residence at Pala on Saturday, Mr. Mani reiterated that the party had not taken any decision regarding joining any coalition. He denied reports that the party was engaged in any kind of discussions with any party in this regard.
Referring to the statements made by former chief minister Oommen Chandy, Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala and KPCC president M.M. Hassan, inviting the KC(M) back into the UDF fold, Mr. Mani said he would thank all of them but the issue of joining any coalition was not in the agenda of the party at present.
The party is preparing an approach paper regarding the agrarian crisis and would join hands with anyone who supported it, he said.
Meanwhile, the KC(M) chairman intensified his criticism of the CPI leader and said Mr. Rajendran should remember that he was leading a party which in earlier years was led by veterans such as M.N. Govindan Nair and P.K. Vasudevan Nair.
Launching a frontal attack on the CPI, Mr. Mani said the split in the Communist party had rendered the CPI weak. “Those who know Kerala politics will vouch for the fact that the CPI did not have a chance in any of the 140 constituencies, if they chose to stand alone,” he said.
In a statement, the party criticised the CPI for their controversial stand during the Emergency period and the ‘ditching’ of the Congress after the party was defeated in the post Emergency election. It also criticised the administration of the departments held by the CPI in the current LDF ministry and alleged that they had become an embarrassment to the Pinarayi Vijayan Ministry.
