A disaster it would certainly have been if the State leadership had denied the ticket to VS Achuthanandan this time as well. The credit for averting that crisis goes to CPI(M) general secretary, Sitaram Yechury.

It was Yechury’s deft and firm handling of the situation which resulted in the contentious issue being resolved. The CPI(M) general secretary said winning this election was a life and death issue for the party and it should face it unitedly. To achieve this goal, it was of paramount importance that VS should not only contest the election but also lead the campaign.

The reservations voiced by the CPI(M)’s official leadership and some of their supporters were effectively silenced by the Yechury by saying that without the help of VS, the party was simply in no position to win the crucial electoral battle. Neither CPI(M) state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan nor Pinarayi Vijayan was in a position to give any guarantee, in the face of a pointed question from Yechury, that they could win the election without the services of VS.

On his part, VS also reportedly told Yechury that he would retire before the elections, if the party did not want to utilize his services post poll, in the event of an LDF victory. In other words, he made it clear that he was very much interested in one more term as Chief Minister – a bitter pill for Pinarayi and Co to swallow.

The official leadership of the Kerala CPI(M) should gracefully accept the reality: VS remains the most popular party leader. He has been, is, and will be the star campaigner for the LDF. If the LDF manages to win the elections, it will be, in a big way, due to the tireless campaign launched by the CPI(M) patriarch.

That being the case, it would be patently unfair to expect Achuthanandan to lead the campaign and quietly make way for Pinarayi Vijayan or any other leader to become the Chief Minister.

Also, another important factor which has tilted the scales in VS’s favour is the uncompromising and aggressive campaign he has led against the forces of communalism led by the BJP to have a firm grip on the state’s political landscape. It is a fact acknowledged by one and all that due to the efforts of the veteran, the aggressive campaign launched by the proponents of Hindu unity has been countered effectively, if not blunted totally.

That campaign will have to be continued, post poll as well. That is why it is important for VS to be in the forefront of the battle against the forces of communalism. The stellar role VS played has also to be viewed against the murky backdrop of the Congress in the State adopting a soft stance vis-à-vis the communal forces. The people of the state have come to realize that the LDF, led by the CPI(M ) is the force which can halt the onward march of communal forces on Kerala’s secular soil.

Another factor that goes against Pinarayi is the SNC Lavalin case. True, Vijayan has managed to get a clean chit from the CBI. But the last word on the case has not been heard yet. It will come up for hearing in two three months. There is no guarantee that the final verdict would go in favour of Pinarayi.

Therefore, the best course for the CPI(M), should it win the poll battle, is to allow VS to become Chief Minister, say, for the first two-and-a-half years. Should his health deteriorate, there are other leaders who can take over, among them Pinarayi Vijayan, Thomas Issac and MA Baby. By that time, the Lavalin ghost would also, hopefully, have been exorcised. Should the verdict go against Vijayan and if VS suffers a health setback, one from among the younger lot can assume the mantle of leadership. (IPA Service)