No honeymoon here, in Kerala it's divorce

Jeemon Jacob Thiruvananthapuram

In opposing the Congress, the hardliners and soft-peddlers of the CPM in Kerala have something in common — both raise anti-US slogans. Unlike their comrades in Bengal, opposition to the anti-nuke deal has united them. Both the factions of the CPM in Kerala led by arch-rivals VS Achuthanandan and Pinarayi Vijayan are united on the anti-US plank and have supported Prakash Karat in the central committee unanimously.

Though both the Bengal and the Kerala comrades have supported the party politburo's views in the central committee, members of the Kerala unit have urged that a radical decision against the UPA government would further boost the party's image in the state. “It's not our responsibility to run the government at the Centre. We have supported the UPA for political reasons. If the Congress wants to run the government with our support, they must fulfil certain conditions. If they continue with the nuclear deal, we will not hesitate to withdraw support,” said A. Vijayaraghavan, member of the central committee, and MP, Rajya Sabha. He asserts that the Congress leadership is playing to the tune of US imperialism. His pungent criticism of the Congress leadership indicates the general view prevailing in the state unit of the CPM: 'Congress is an American agent'.

Unlike the Bengal comrades, who are following the pro-Manmohan Singh line of Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, the Kerala CPM feels that the UPA government is a liability and the time has come to review support. Bhattacharya, after the dinner with the prime minister on August 22, had reportedly told senior leaders of the Left Front that a change of guard at the Centre could hamper West Bengal's industrialisation drive.

In contrast, Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan has strong reservations against the prime minister and his neo-liberal policies. He even wanted to organise a sit-in protest in Delhi to register his cabinet's resentment against the Centre. He has accused the UPA government of choking developmental drive initiated by the Left in Kerala by not allocating sufficient funds.

Indeed, while Bengal comrades still believe that the honeymoon is not yet over, comrades in Kerala are keen on a divorce. In the last assembly elections, the CPI (M) in Kerala had effectively used the anti-US theme and had reaped impressive electoral dividends. “Last time, Saddam Hussein saved the CPI (M), now George Bush will help them,” comments Sunny Kutty Abraham, Chief Editor of Jai Hind, a pro-Congress TV channel promoted by non-resident Indians.

With hardliners like Abdul Nasser Madame by their side, the CPM can be expected to carry out a high-voltage campaign against the Congress over Delhi's brazen tilt towards the US. “This is a total sell-out,” said a party leader. “India is not a US stooge. We in Karalla don't think so.”