Don’t score ‘self goal’, Kanam tells CPI(M)

He makes his party’s stand clear on tie-up with Mani

CPI(M) leaders at the State conference in Thrissur on Friday

Asserting his party’s position against any tie-up with the Kerala Congress (M), CPI State secretary Kanam Rajendran has asked the CPI(M) not to score a self goal, without naming K.M. Mani or his party.

Addressing a seminar on ‘Kerala: yesterday, today and tomorrow’ as part of the CPI(M) State conference here on Friday, he said the LDF government was moving comfortably by fulfilling the promises given in the manifesto.

The LDF had the support of the people to surge ahead overcoming all challenges, he said.

‘‘We should not take any decision in the name of minority politics. Minorities already know that only the LDF can protect them. The Vengara bypoll is an evidence, where the LDF could better its vote share. The LDF also fared well in almost all the byelections to the local bodies,’’ he said.

If the LDF discusses any other kind of vote bank politics, it will not be good for the front, Mr. Rajendran said at the function, also attended by Kerala Congress (M) leader K.M. Mani.

“When we look at the history of the Communist party, we can see that the party stood by poor people and fought for their rights. But when the Communist party went after vote bank politics, the poor people started distancing themselves from the party. They are raising slogans against Communist leaders whom they considered as their gods once,’’ he said.

‘‘We need the politics by which we can regain the trust of the people. The LDF’s experience in the State shows that it came to power whenever it refused to tie-up with communal parties,’’ he said.

“We should not give an indication that the LDF has any weakness,” Mr. Kanam warned. However, both the CPI and the CPI(M) were of the same opinion that those who had left the front should come back, he said.

Speaking after inaugurating the seminar, CPI(M) Polit Bureau member S. Ramachandran Pillia said the CPI(M) and CPI together had a major role in fighting the neoliberal policies.

“We have a uniform stand in most of the issues. We have some differences of opinion. That we express openly. But nobody should dream that we will part away,” he said.

Mr. Pillai said the UDF was facing a decline. “Many of its allies such as the JD(U), Kerala Congress (B) and Kerala Congress (M) had left. There is no guarantee that the existing allies will continue,” he said.

Water Resources Minister Mathew T. Thomas, Minister for Ports Kadannappally Ramachandran, Kerala Congress (B) leader R. Balakrishna Pillai, NCP leader T.P. Peethambaran and others participated. Former Minister Elamaram Karim presided.