Decision On Kerala Opposition Leader To Be Taken By State CPM Leadership: Baby
The CPI has demanded the deputy opposition leader position, with its central secretariat insisting the party should have a prominent role in the assembly: Reports
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM general secretary M A Baby said the decision on the leader of the opposition in the Kerala assembly will be made by the party’s state leadership.
Speaking to the media after the CPM politburo meeting in Delhi, Baby stated that the matter is for the state to decide. Former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan is the front-runner for the Opposition Leader post, with another option being party central committee member and former finance minister K N Balagopal.
The CPI has demanded the deputy opposition leader position, with its central secretariat insisting the party should have a prominent role in the assembly. However, Baby told reporters he was unaware of the CPI’s demand.
Serious electoral setback: The CPM politburo said the LDF faced a major blow in Kerala after ten years of continuous rule. For the first time, the BJP managed to win three seats, which it described as a serious threat. Baby noted that the Congress’s baseless allegations and canards against the CPI(M), along with its lenient stance toward communal forces, fuelled the BJP’s growth in the state. Despite the loss, the LDF secured 37.6 percent of the vote, showing significant public support.
The politburo affirmed the party will lead efforts to resist the rise of communal forces and defend the state’s secular, democratic fabric. The party said it has completed a preliminary review of the results and will carry out a review in the coming days to pinpoint the weaknesses behind the setback. Feedback from all party members and well-wishers will be considered during this process. The politburo added that necessary adjustments and corrections will be made in due course to strengthen the party.
