Expelled senior CPI(M) leaders V Kunhikrishnan and TK Govindan shared a stage with Congress leader Rahul Gandhi at an election rally in Kannur on Tuesday, March 31. Both leaders are contesting the upcoming assembly elections as independent candidates with UDF support from Payyannur and Taliparamba respectively.
Addressing the rally, Rahul said that the presence of the two former CPI(M) bigwigs was indicative of the failures of the Left party.
Rahul also accused the CPI(M) of colluding with the BJP. “This would be quite surprising — a Left party is allying with an extreme Right party,” he observed.
He reportedly also said, “This election is a fight between two ideologies — that of the Left front led by CPI(M) and that of the UDF. For the first time, we are seeing a partnership between the BJP and the Left front.”
He went on to illustrate the “failures” of the CPI(M) through the examples of expelled leaders. “Some answers to this puzzle are sitting on this stage. There are two veteran leaders from the CPI(M) sitting on our stage today,” he said. Rahul then asked, “Why are they not campaigning for the CPI(M), the Left front, or the Chief Minister? People who are Left-minded are standing with us today and we are supporting them.”
Clapping back at the CPI(M)’s criticism levelled against him, Kunhikrishnan later told the media, “The CPI(M) gained two MPs in Tamil Nadu and one in Rajasthan by getting the Congress’ votes too. That being the case, criticising me, an expelled party member, for contesting independently with the Congress’ support shows the CPI(M)’s anxieties regarding the contest in Payyannur constituency,” he said.
Kunhikrishnan was expelled from the party in January after he publicly raised allegations of financial irregularities in the collection and utilisation of funds, including those linked to a martyr’s fund. Govindan resigned from the party citing opposition to what he described as a violation of organisational norms and “moral standards” in candidate selection.https://www.thenewsminute.com/kerala/kerala-cpim-leaders-v-kunhikrishnan-tk-govindan-rebel-may-contest-as-independents
