Kochi: The Congress party is known as a testing ground for groupism since its inception at the national level. Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose defying Mahatma Gandhi and contesting the party presidential poll and winning it is history.
Congress in Kerala redefined the meaning of groupism as the state witnessed the highs and lows in the party when former chief ministers A K Antony and Karunakaran fought it out in the open, albeit in a dignified manner.
The left parties mocked the Congress then. Today they are victims of factionalism. CPM, which claimed itself as a highly disciplined organisation, had crossed all limits of decency
the then party Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan locked horns with former Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan which was innuendo in the beginning. It became public and nasty when Achuthanandan was denied a ticket in the 2006 assembly election.
Achuthanandan’s threat to quit the party forced the national leadership to field him in the polls and make him Chief Minister. The rivalry between Pinarayi and Achuthananthan continued with more vigour until he was sidelined.
And now CPM’s close buddy CPI, who jointly run the LDF government, is following the footsteps of its trusted partner as rivalry within the party is raising its head.
And now a cold war is on in the CPI which in association with the CPM is running the government in Kerala.
CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran is facing dissent from those supporting party state Assistant Secretary Rajendra Babu.
A section of leaders are not happy with Kanam for offering unconditional support to present Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.
At a time when the party is going to host the 24th party Congress at Thiruvananthapuram on September 30, support for Babu is growing
sending warning bells for CPM. Most of his supporters are from K E Ismael who is also at loggerheads.
The CPI district conferences held so far have criticised Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and CPI State chief Kanam. Out of the four district conferences held, three have elected a majority showing allegiance to Babu.
Kanam also has a strained relationship with party national general secretary D Raja.
