Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has said the Left Democratic Front (LDF) will address Communist Party of India (CPI)’s scepticism about the Kerala Lok Ayukta amendment Ordinance.
However, only the prospective introduction of the executive order as a Bill in the Assembly would necessitate such parleys. Mr. Balakrishnan said while talking to journalists after the CPI(M) State secretariat meeting on Friday.
The CPI had a different line of thinking. The party had publicly aired certain reservations about revising the Kerala Lok Ayukta Act, 1999. However, the CPI had not questioned the political reasoning behind the ordinance. The party had merely said that it felt unconsulted.
The CPI’s only grouse was that the CPI(M) had not given it sufficient notice. They felt briefly out of the loop. Four CPI Ministers were on board when the Cabinet decided to seek the Governor’s assent to the Ordinance. They had reportedly not objected to the promulgation of the executive order. “If the CPI had demanded so, the LDF would have discussed the matter prior,” Mr. Balakrishnan said.
The CPI(M) had no irreconcilable differences with the CPI. Both the communist parties were close allies and shared a special relationship. CPI State secretary Kanam Rajendran was well within his rights to publicly air his party’s position.
The CPI was a corrective force in the LDF. The LDF had robust mechanisms to settle issues, if at all, between allies. the CPI would never adopt a stance disadvantageous to the ruling alliance. The CPI had said so in its political resolution adopted ahead of its party congress.
Mr. Balakrishnan said party members and supporters could suggest amendments to the draft political resolution scheduled to be placed for the consideration of the CPI(M) party congress in Kannur. They have to send in their recommendations before March 10. Party members could also individually send in amendments not officially approved by their respective branches. On March 26, the CPI(M) would report the draft resolution to various tiers of the party from the branch secretary and upwards.
