What has irked the allies like the CPI, the Janata Dal and the Congress-S is the CPI(M)’s unilateral decision to launch a protest movement against the State Government’s decision to raise the water Tariff and land tax.

The contention of the allies is that before taking a decision on such an important issue, the CPI(M) should have consulted the allies. The matter was taken up at a recent meeting of the LDF coordination committee by CPI leader C. Divakaran, who took strong exception to the CPI(M)’s playing the big brother, which goes against the spirit of coalition politics. Other allies in the LDF identified themselves with the sentiments voiced by the CPI leader, it is learnt.

But the CPI(M) does not seem to be in a mood to listen to the allies’ advice in the matter if the statements of both State CPI(M) secretary Pinarayi Vijayan and Deputy leader of the CPI(M) in the State Assembly Kodiyeri Balakrishnan are any indication. Both the CPI(M) leaders have gone on record that there is no question of going back on the decision.

Needless to say, such arbitrary and arrogant ways will affect the cohesive functioning of the LDF which has a good opportunity to put the UDF Government on the mat on its various acts of omission and commission and its latest anti-people policies.

The CPI(M)’s latest decision is of a piece with its earlier decision to observe unilateral hartals in the wake of the UDF Government’s move against it after the brutal murder of Revolutionary Marxist Party(RMP) leader T. P. Chandrashekharan. Then also, the CPI had objected to the CPI(M)’s tendency to take decisions without taking the allies into confidence.

Obviously, the CPI(M) has not learnt appropriate lessons from the earlier episodes. This does not augur well for the smooth functioning of the LDF, which has to face a major electoral battle in the year ahead for the local bodies.

The CPI(M) also seems to be unhappy about the CPI leaders’ statements against the politics of violence. It may be mentioned that State CPI secretary Panniyan Ravindran had strongly condemned the politics of murder in the wake of the recent murder of an RSS activist in Kannur, allegedly by CPI(M) activists.

The Congress and its allies in the ruling United Democratic Front(UDF) have countered the CPI(M)’s argument by pointing out that the CPI(M) simply does not have any moral right to criticise the decision on the raising of water tariff. They say that the former LDF Government had effected a 100 per cent hike in the water tariff whereas the Oommen Chandy Government had only ordered a 50-per cent hike in water tariff although the recommendation was for a 100 per cent increase.

At the end of the day, the CPI(M) would seem to have lost a golden opportunity to launch a powerful movement which would have won the support of the people reeling under the unprecedented price rise, if only it had take the allies into confidence. The idea to exhort the people not to pay the revised water tariff and land tax would have struck a responsive chord if only the CPI(M) had gone about it in a more organized manner and taking the allies along with it. That it has not chosen to do so could affect its ability to make a success of the latest decision against the UDF Government.

Will wiser counsels prevail? Or will the CPI(M) continue to behave like the Bourbons of Europe who refuse to learn anything? (IPA Service)