Kerala: CPI (M) stronghold sees low turnout at rally backing Vijayan, daughter amid ED probe

Kozhikode, Aug 24 (AHN) The attempt by Communist Party of India (Marxist) to rally its rank and file behind former Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his daughter Veena Vijayan in its traditional bastion appears to have met with a muted response, raising questions over the party’s grassroots support for the family at a politically sensitive time.

A meeting held in Kozhikode late on Sunday as part of the party’s campaign to explain and defend its position on the controversy surrounding Veena Vijayan was marked by a conspicuous number of empty chairs.

The low turnout has drawn attention because Kozhikode is considered one of the CPI (M)’s traditional strongholds in the state.

The meeting was organised as the party sought to project unity and mobilise its cadres amid the Enforcement Directorate’s (ED) investigation and the questioning of Veena in connection with the CMRL-Exalogic case.

Organisers, however, attributed the poor attendance partly to the timing of the programme, which coincided with Onam festivities.

However, the lack of a strong turnout has acquired political significance following months of controversy surrounding the ED investigation against Veena, who has been questioned by the agency on two occasions in connection with the case.

The situation also comes against the backdrop of protests by CPI (M) activists following an ED raid at a rented residence associated with Veena in Thiruvananthapuram in May this year.

Around two dozen party activists were arrested following violent protests during which ED officials were allegedly attacked besides targeting their vehicles.

The party activists subsequently spent more than 70 days in jail.

The arrests and prolonged detention of activists, who had rallied in support of Vijayan’s family, could have contributed to frustration among sections of the party rank and file, particularly as the controversy has continued.

The muted response is notable because investigations involving senior CPI (M) leaders have traditionally prompted strong mobilisation, with party leaders, cadres and Left sympathisers closing ranks in their defence.

In the case of Vijayan, who is the current Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, however, the response following the ED raid and Veena’s subsequent questioning appears comparatively subdued. Leaders of other parties in the Left camp have also not been as prominent in defending Vijayan and his family as might have been expected.

The development comes at a challenging juncture for Vijayan and the CPI (M). The party is facing questions over its electoral setbacks and its perceived disconnect with sections of the electorate.

Against this backdrop, the empty chairs at the Kozhikode meeting could carry significance beyond a single poorly attended programme. They may indicate the difficulty the CPI(M) leadership faces in generating the same level of grassroots mobilisation while defending Vijayan and his family from the continuing controversy.