The CPI, the principal ally of the CPI(M) in the ruling coalition, however, is in no mood to take it lying down. The meeting of the CPI’s state executive witnessed trenchant criticism of the CPI(M) and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for his style of functioning.

Of course, CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran intervened when the criticism against the Chief Minister threatened to go beyond limits. Kanam stopped Satyan Mokeri from going overboard with his criticism. Satyan had compared Vijayan’s style of functioning to that of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The immediate cause for the CPI’s ire is the criticism levelled by Culture Minister A K Balan, who belongs to the CPI(M), against CPI ministers E Chandrashekharan and K. Raju. Balan had the ‘temerity’ to advise both the CPI ministers to take a leaf out of the book of KP Rajendran and Benoy Viswam who handled the portfolios of Revenue and Forest respectively in the Achuthanandan Government.

The executive decided to take up the issue of repeated criticism from CPI(M) ministers against their CPI counterparts with the Chief Minister.

Satyan Mokeri was critical of the meeting of the personal staff of ministers convened by the Chief Minister last week. This, he opined, was against the conventions. But Kanam in his intervention said there was nothing wrong in the Chief Minister convening such a meeting.

Be that as it may, the CPI ministers do have a reason for feeling unhappy about the CPI(M) ministers’ criticism of their CPI counterparts. It was wrong on the part of Culture Minister Balan to air his criticism publicly. If he had any grievances against them, the right forum to raise them was either the LDF coordination committee meeting or the state cabinet meeting.

In view of the recurrence of the CPI(M) leaders’ proclivity to play the big brother, the Chief Minister should intervene immediately and rein in them. Otherwise, it would tarnish the image of the LDF Government.

Balan is not the first CPI(M) minister to air his criticism against CPI Ministers. Newly-inducted Power Minister M M Mani had also levelled allegations against the CPI leaders. The CPI is right in feeling resentful against such unwarranted and unjustified interference by the CPI(M) leaders.

The CPI executive also placed on record its dissatisfaction with the way the progress made by the Pinarayi Government. The performance of the LDF Government has not been up to the mark, the executive felt.

It was particularly upset at the way the crisis plaguing the public distribution system is being handled. The real reason for the disruption in the PDS is the ineptitude of the erstwhile UDF Government. But the LDF and the Government have not been able to convince the people about this. The executive felt that this should be rectified forthwith. (IPA Service)