Thiruvananthapuram: CPM general secretary M A Baby on Friday backed leader of the opposition and politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan, saying that Vijayan was speaking about specific constituencies in Kannur and that his remarks in a public meeting should not be construed as a general political statement applicable the whole state.Vijayan’s assessment of the LDF’s electoral setbacks in certain constituencies did not contradict the broader agreement reached by the party’s state and central committees in their review of the assembly election results, Baby told reporters in New Delhi ahead of the CPM politburo meeting.Addressing public rallies in Payyannur and Taliparamba constituencies which the LDF lost in the assembly election, Vijayan had put the blame on voters, who according to him was carried away by the fake campaigns against the party. He asked the party workers and sympathisers who voted against the party candidates to correct their mistake and rally behind the party.Baby said Vijayan might have placed greater emphasis on local issues concerning particular constituencies, but that did not mean he had undermined the party’s decision to engage in self-criticism. “Vijayan was also part of the state and central committees that adopted the election review reports, which identified various reasons for the electoral setback,” Baby said.Meanwhile, CPM politburo member A Vijayaraghavan said both party cadres and leaders should share responsibility for the electoral defeat. He said the setback was the result of several factors, including limitations in governance, organisational shortcomings, the growth of right-wing forces and communal alliances.“Examining whether Vijayan or any other leader was responsible for the defeat is not the party’s job; it is the media’s job,” Vijayaraghavan said.He said the party had failed organisationally to mobilise people behind its political positions, but one cannot say this happened due to the problems associated with the political positions adopted by the party. Vijayaraghavan said the party need not respond to media interpretations immediately and asked the media to wait for a few days, after which the leadership would complete its assessment and explain its position.
