Thiruvananthapuram: CPI mouthpiece, Janayugom, has launched a sharp attack on leader of opposition (LoP) Pinarayi Vijayan over his remarks on the appointment of the opposition deputy leader.In an editorial-page article, CPI assistant secretary Sathyan Mokeri said Vijayan’s statement on the issue could only be viewed as a “blatant violation of coalition etiquette” and a failure to uphold the ethics required in coalition politics.A coalition, Mokeri said, is a political arrangement formed by multiple parties to pursue common political objectives. “An attitude that says ‘I’ll decide, I’m everything’ is not conducive to the collective functioning of a front. It is also unbecoming of a Communist leader,” Mokeri said, targeting Vijayan.CPI had staked claim for the post of opposition deputy leader as part of efforts to strengthen the collective functioning of the LDF following its defeat in the assembly elections. Mokeri alleged that Vijayan made his statement while CPI’s proposal was still being discussed at various levels, effectively bypassing the ongoing discussions.The appointment of an opposition deputy leader is a political matter and cannot be decided unilaterally by the opposition leader, Mokeri said. The issue is also before the national brass of both parties.Mokeri questioned Vijayan’s reported decision to communicate his position through a letter. He said there had been no discussion during the CPI-CPM talks about such a letter. “What prompted the LoP to say that he would write a letter? It is clear that the motivation is not Left politics,” he alleged.Mokeri also questioned whether announcing unilateral positions through a news conference while discussions were under way with the understanding that disputes should not hamper the functioning of the LDF would strengthen the front.“What is the LDF? What are the politics and ethics that the front upholds?” Mokeri asked, while questioning what had prompted the LoP to make a statement that could weaken the alliance.He stressed the importance of coordinated action in the current political situation in the country and warned against bringing the personal preferences of the LoP into Left politics. Such approaches, he said, would weaken the political and ethical foundations of the Left and could benefit the BJP and Sangh Parivar organisations seeking to expand their influence in Kerala.Mokeri also invoked the experience of the international Communist movement to underline the importance of coalition politics and mutual respect among alliance partners. Referring to Georgi Dimitrov, the former general secretary of the Communist International, he said the importance of united-front politics had been emphasised as early as 1935.According to Mokeri, Dimitrov had stressed that a coalition should not be based on a “master-servant relationship” but on equal participation, cooperation and mutual respect among political parties. He said the freedom and ideological positions of alliance partners should be respected and decisions should be taken through discussions and consensus rather than imposed unilaterally.“It is unfortunate that the political maturity that communists are expected to demonstrate in coalition politics was not displayed by the LoP,” Mokeri said in a pointed criticism of Vijayan.
