Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has backed CPI(M) leader P Jayarajan’s remarks that the party is the ‘captain,’ a term many party supporters and the public use to refer to Pinarayi Vijayan. “For us, the party is supreme,” the CM told reporters in Kannur on Sunday, clearing the air that the party is not against P Jayarajan. The CM’s reaction comes after P Jayarajan, in a Facebook post on Saturday, said that the party is the captain and “there is no point in the right-wing and the media getting upset by the popular support for the Chief Minister.”
In his post, P Jayarajan referred to a similar statement by CPI(M) state chief Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, who was responding to media queries on CM being referred to as the ‘captain’ of the party. Kodiyeri said that the party does not use such terms and that it was the public who used them. In his FB post, P Jayarajan on Saturday said that ‘party is the captain’ and that Communists do not get flattered in personal praise. The post went viral with many, including Congress leaders, stating that the remark was against the Chief Minister.
Reading P Jarayajan’s Facebook post, Pinarayi said, “Yes, for us, the party is supreme. All are subservient to the party. When someone feels that they are above the party, then it becomes a problem. The party takes corrective measures in such instances.”
He further added that not even a word posted by Jayarajan was problematic and that the media is misinterpreting the issue. “Media has been paid. That is why all of you are making big news out of this. Jayarajan has not said anything against the party, rather he has defended the party in a good way. But that is twisted and presented in a different way,” Pinarayi Vijayan said.
Meanwhile, P Jayarajan also came out against the Congress and right-wing media organisations for misinterpreting his Facebook post. Calling Pinarayi Vijayan ‘leader’, Jayarajan said that there is no need for people to be intolerant to the love and affection Pinarayi receives from the public.
"Congress leader K Sudhakaran had reacted saying that I was sidelined by the party and that I’m disappointed for not getting a seat. It is Sudhakaran who has publicised his displeasure over the Congress candidate list. Do not try to put this on other people’s shoulders,” Jayarajan wrote.
He also added that the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government led by Pinarayi Vijayan will come to power in the state. “CPI(M)’s candidate list was based on specific guidelines. I am also part of all the decisions. Right-wing is trying to make it look like there is a rift between us as all the surveys have predicted victory for the LDF,” Jayarajan added.