In a rare public criticism from within CPM circles, senior Left fellow-traveller and former Additional Private Secretary to T.M. Thomas Isaac, Gopakumar Mukundan, has openly suggested that former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan should “take rest”. In a Facebook post, Mukundan wrote, “Pinarayi Vijayan should rest. If he takes a step back, he will fall down. We need a Left movement even after our death.”
The remark is significant as it has come not from the BJP-led NDA or the Congress-led UDF, but from an ardent CPM supporter who had closely worked with former Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac during previous LDF governments.
Gopakumar Mukundan’s Facebook post of May 21 reads: “Today I happened to see the visuals of Pinarayi Vijayan in a meeting. He was complaining about the size of the dais. He says, if he steps back, he will fall down. Can’t he avoid such situations and go for rest? We need the Left movement even after our death. Dear comrade (Vijayan), please take rest.”
Even though there are reports of criticism against the leadership in district secretariats and district committees, this is the first time a Left fellow-traveller has made a public statement like this.
Observers believe that Gopakumar Mukundan would not have done this without the knowledge of senior leaders like Thomas Isaac. Several fellow-travellers like K.J. Jacob have reportedly ‘liked’ the post.
There are reports of allegations from almost all district meetings of the CPM that the arrogance and body language of Pinarayi Vijayan and state secretary M.V. Govindan contributed to the election debacle.
Reports from Thiruvananthapuram suggest that M.V. Govindan admitted the flaw in his body language during a press conference. He is reported to have said that his son asked him whether he looks at the mirror. Reports suggest that in some districts, party delegates questioned the exemption given to Pinarayi Vijayan to contest the Assembly election while several others are barred citing advanced age. According to available data, Pinarayi is 82.
Alappuzha comrades reportedly said that the way the police and the Chief Minister’s gunmen beat and tortured the Youth Congress protestors on December 15, 2023, during CM Pinarayi Vijayan’s Nava Kerala Yatra, led to the LDF debacle in the district. When the Youth Congress men waved black flags, police and the CM’s gunmen suddenly emerged from a vehicle with batons and brutally beat the activists, causing serious injuries. Later, Pinarayi Vijayan publicly justified the act. He even went to the extent of stating that it was not a police attack, but that the police were protecting them from motor accidents.
Naturally, the police did not register a case. The Youth Congress men then moved the court. The court ordered an investigation. The investigation was handed over to the Crime Branch (under the Kerala Police controlled by Pinarayi Vijayan). The Crime Branch gave a clean chit to the ‘violent cops’, stating that they were discharging their duty of protecting the CM.
But none in the party dares to call a spade a spade. They are not bold enough to air their views. That is why Pinarayi was elected the Leader of the Opposition despite the aforementioned allegations.
Despite strong voice against Pinarayi, he becomes Leader of the Opposition, Communist style of correcting the mistake
