That is the only conclusion which can be drawn in the wake of the recent reconstitution of the State CPI(M) secretariat.

That the secretariat will be packed with Pinarayi loyalists was only expected. But what is surprising is that the manner in which the secretariat members were selected has drawn strong flak.

First the facts. Out of the 15-member state secretariat, as many as 10 belong to the Malabar region. Kannur district alone accounts for five members!. This should occasion no surprise as the Malabar region continues to be the CPI(M)’s stronghold. That is the argument advanced by Malabar leaders belonging to the Pinarayi faction.

Of equal significance is the fact that there is no representation for both Kollam and Ernakulam districts in the new secretariat! Incidentally, in both the districts, pro-VS leaders continue to hold considerable influence despite Pinarayi’s determined attempts in the past to marginalize them.

In fact, the displeasure against the unfair selection process and violation of norms came out in the open when eight state committee members opposed the panel proposed by the state leadership. Among them are known VS supporters like K. Chandran Pillai, S. Sharma, Mercikutty Amma and Pirappancode Murali.

The exclusion of P. K. Gurudasan, a leader who belongs to Kollam district, and Vaikom Viswan has also come as a surprise. Interestingly, Gurudasan has been retained in the Central Committee of the party despite his poor health. But his health has not been found to be satisfactory for inclusion in the State committee!

Likewise, Vaikom Viswan finds no place in the new secretariat. His exclusion has come amid growing speculation that Pinarayi would soon replace him as the convener of the Left Democratic Front)LDF). Viswan seems to have incurred the wrath of Pinarayi with his recent statement, which had caused eyebrows to be raised, that Vijayan is only one among the many contenders for the Chief Minister’s post should the LDF dethrone the Congress-led United Democratic Front)UDF) in the assembly elections due next year.

The three new faces in the state secretariat are: M. M. Mani, T. P. Ramakrishnan and KJ Thomas, all Pinarayi loyalists who had been secretaries of Idukki, Kozhikode and Kiottayam districts respectively.

The exclusion of VS from the secretariat was a foregone conclusion. Pinarayi is learnt to have taken the position that VS could not be included before the completion of the report of the Polit Buro Commission probing his alleged anti-party activities! State CPI(M) secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, is said to have backed Vijayan’s argument. Not surprising as Kodiyeri is yet to emerge out of the dominating shadow of Pinarayi and evolve as a leader on his own!

There is no denying that the unfair selection process in respect of the constitution of the state secretariat has left a trail of bitterness, and has only widened the North-South gap within the party. For the first time, party leaders from Kollam district openly criticized the state leadership over the manner of selection of the new secretariat. The turmoil in the party also demolishes the argument advanced by the state party leadership that sectarianism in the state unit has become a thing of the past!

What remains to be seen is whether the bitterness will reflect itself in the election of Pinarayi Vijayan as the Chief Minister should the CPI(M)-led LDF, as is widely expected, win the assembly elections next year. The rising resentment in the party against the Kannur lobby shows that the election of Pinarayi as the next CM will not be as smooth as the Kannur lobby expects it to be. (IPA Service)