Mainstream political parties in Kerala seem to have been caught in a web of controversies and internal strife even after the conclusion of the Assembly elections.
Despite achieving a historic continuance in power, the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] is apparently grappling to shrug off the issue of its cadres’ alleged involvement in smuggling and looting, especially after the Calicut airport gold smuggling incident.
Now the party leadership is compelled to act against those lower-rung activists who involve in nefarious operations and yet enjoy the patronage of the CPI(M).
This was despite the party emerging victorious and remaining unscathed even after blistering attacks against it by the Congress-led Opposition in connection with the diplomatic channel gold smuggling case and allegations of nepotism during the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s previous tenure.
CPI’s state
In the case of its junior partner, the Communist Party of India (CPI), its leadership is facing criticism over Revenue orders for felling scheduled trees on assigned land, also during the previous government’s term. In the eyes of the general public, the former Ministers E. Chandrasekharan and K. Raju, who were holding the Revenue and Forest portfolios respectively, continue to be suspicious over the contentious orders issued on March 11, 2020 and on October 24, 2020.
Further, it has come to light that Mr. Chandrasekharan had issued orders overruling the objections of officials even before a clarity was received from the Law Department on the provisions on tree-felling.
Plight of Congress
As for the Congress party, the State leadership is still in a bind over its restructuring even after the appointment of the new president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) last month. New party chief K. Sudhakaran’s muscular and hard-hitting style of functioning has not been received well by groups affiliated to the former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and the former Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala.
Even as he is besieged by detractors, Mr. Sudhakaran also has to fend for himself after the LDF government ordered a probe by the Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau against him on a petition filed by his former driver alleging that he had amassed wealth disproportionate to his known sources of income.
BJP’s affairs
Nevertheless the leadership of the faction-ridden Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is facing perhaps the worst phase in the history of the party. The State office-bearers, including its president K. Surendran and organising secretary M. Ganesh, are facing probe in the Kodakara money heist case. This apart, the BJP is not out of the woods yet from its biggest embarrassment over poll-fund misuse and losing the lone Nemom seat in the just-concluded Assembly elections.
