Pinarayi Vijayan to be a political Rajnikanth

Given the enormous challenges on the political, developmental and governance front staring at him, CPM politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan, to be sworn in the 22nd Chief Minister on Wednesday, might envy his favourite star Rajnikanth’s superhuman skills in tackling adversities.   Peace in Malabar, the scene of RSS-CPM blood feuds, supplants all other challenges now. Friction there could lock him up in perennial conflict with the BJP at the Centre, distracting him from governance priorities.

Perhaps none else can sanitise the “party villages” in Malabar. Was it not Mr Vijayan who, in a clear peace response, welcomed RSS chief Mohan Bhagawat’s recent call for talks? Says Planning Board vice-chairman K M Chandrasekhar, the former Cabinet Secretary: “There will be posturing, given ideological differences between CPM and BJP.  At the end of the day, life has to go on.  I have seen former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and the then Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi engaged in serious business despite their posturing in public”.

Mr Chandrasekhar listed as a priority Kerala approaching the Centre for greater flexibility to States in tapping Centrally-sponsored schemes, which a committee is already seized of.   Mr Vijayan has earned the sobriquet of CEO for his 26-month stewardship of the Power Department in 1996-98, when he tackled voltage crisis by scaling up distribution.

Removing obstacles to infrastructure development, especially now that a consensus has been arrived at on 45-metre-wide roads, proper garbage disposal, effective government control in health and education sectors and environment cleanup, all need a time-bound approach.       

Straightening the finances is a job that awaits former Finance Minister Thomas Isaac and he must have already thought through the contours of an alteration in the memorandum to the UDF budget. From politician to statesman is not too distant for Mr Vijayan, comments former Addl Chief Secretary Babu Paul. The Government should not be vindictive. “But Mr Vjayan respects officers and makes them work to targets. I haven’t seen another minister getting up from the seat to see off senior officers”, he said.

Mr Vijayan also can improve on pro-poor schemes such as the Karunya Benevolent by making it comprehensive and not requiring the patronage of the minister for individual assistance. Perhaps, CPM has already planned it that way. Improving on the Right to Services delivery and revitalising grama sabhas in the true spirit of decentralisation will be a humungous reach-out to the masses directly.

Mr Vijayan’s major challenge is to tackle the all-pervasive corruption at all levels of bureaucracy. Any relief on this front will immediately translate into greater goodwill for the government. Deadlines set for services delivery under each category must be ensured and erring bureaucrats be made accountable. Or else, people would start waiting for another edition of the mass contact programme.