How small tremors in grassroots is shaking the CPM in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The CPM challenge in Kerala is set to be sharper this time. The decision to field stalwarts V S Achuthanandan and Pinarayi Vijayan has helped. But there are some disturbing pointers to show this newfound unity may be confined to the top.

Party general secretary Sitaram Yechury did play some deft moves to flank the Kerala unit from problems it faced in the 2006 and 2011 polls over V S's candidature. But even these couldn't silence the rum blings at the grassroots over candidate selection. In at least nine of the 90 constituencies, selection remains an issue. A case in point is Wadakkanchery in Thrissur. Protest marches and poster campaigns forced party ticketholder, actor KPAC Lalitha, to drop out.

In Kollam, the CPM nominated another actor, Mukesh. Cold vibes from some local leaders and non-cooperation of workers dog his campaign. But he hasn't quit the race.

The CPM central leadership is said to be upset over this turn of events. Yechuri, insiders say , rang up state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan on Monday and directed the leadership here to settle all issues by Saturday .

Though the state leader ship hasn't openly shown any signs of worry , groupism is proving to be a bother. “There's a pattern in the seats where there are problems. Most are either held by VS loyalists or tipped as winning seats of leaders from this group,“ a senior CPM leader says.

In Kollam, for instance, the party has benched VS confidant and MLA P K Gurudasan.In Kayamkulam, another loyalist and legislator C K Sadasivan hasn't been given a ticket.In Chengannur and Irinjalakkuda, camp followers C S Sujatha and T Sasidharan didn't get picked despite being front-runners.In Aranmula, V S follower and former MLA K C Rajagopal was denied the party symbol.

“We haven't finalised candidates yet. We are holding consultations and there's no point interpreting the list based on names coming out of these consultations,“ Balakrishnan said.

Political scientist and Kerala University Professor J Prabhash says frictions over candidate selection indicate that the CPM's cadre-based system is collapsing. “It was a system based on ideology . In the past, nobody would have dared to challenge the party decision. The system began collapsing when ideology was compromised,“ he said.