The CPI (M) politburo has asserted it’ll take “appropriate action” against the Idukki party secretary, M. M. Mani, but CPI, the second major LDF ally, has gone one step further, saying he has already done harm to the Front in Neyyattinkara bypoll.
“The politburo condemns and disapproves remarks of Mony, which sought to justify the retaliatory killing of political opponents.
These remarks have nothing whatsoever to do with the party’s approach and politics. Appropriate action will be taken regarding this matter”, says the cryptic note in the pro-CPI (M) People’s Democracy.
The State party secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, said as much at a closed-door south zone meeting of local leaders.
But the generally restrained CPI state secretary
,Panniyan Ravindran, felt the damage had been done already. He said he couldn’t wait any longer to speak his mind.
Ravindran said in Kozhikode on Sunday, the day after the poll: “LDF could have pulled off a sparkling win, but for his public ranting.
I’m not saying LDF will not win, but we would have won with a handsome margin. We’d kept quiet till now because of the bypoll,” said Ravindran.
“If Mani belonged to CPI, he would have been disciplined by now. Why is the CPI (M) delaying action?” Ravindran pointed out that Mony’s speech was not becoming of a Communist.
This had damaged the Left even outside Kerala. “Would any sensible politician say: ‘One, two, three, four… a call to murder? His words betray the mind of a murderer’”.