The CPI(M) appeared miffed that Congress leader Rahul Gandhi was wading into regional issues during the Kerala leg of the Bharath Jodo Yatra instead of focussing more on the BJP-led Centre’s “divisive and anti-federal” agenda.
For one, leaders of the Thiruvananthapuram Latin Catholic Archdiocese met Mr. Gandhi to highlight the coastal community's agitation against Vizhinjam port at the national level.
Local issues
Mr. Gandhi's interaction seemed to give the protesters an impetus, much to the administration's chagrin. Efforts to settle the increasingly emotive strike have failed so far.
Mr. Gandhi had also interacted with anti-SilverLine protesters (K-Rail) when the government struggled to get the Centre's approval for the semi-highspeed rail.
On Tuesday, Mr. Gandhi attributed the rising road accidents in Kerala to “ill-designed” roads. Mr. Gandhi underscored that he was not blaming the LDF government for the poor road design. Unlike KPCC leaders, Mr. Gandhi has pointedly refrained from attacking the LDF.
By some accounts, the CPI(M) reportedly felt Mr. Gandhi's perceived accent on local issues had relegated vexing national problems impacting the polity to the backburner.
CPI(M) stand
The CPI(M) had maintained that it would not criticise padayatra. However, it felt that the yatra was deficient in its criticism of the BJP and focussed more on the perceived shortcomings of the LDF administration.
The CPI(M)'s hands-off approach to Mr. Gandhi's yatra appeared to end on Tuesday. The party's State secretariat slammed AICC general secretary (organisation), K. C. Venugopal, MP, for accusing the CPI(M) of being hands in glove with the BJP. It reminded the Congress that scores of CPI(M) workers had fallen to Sangh Parivar knives.
In stark contrast, the CPI(M) alleged that the Congress worked as BJP’s echo chamber. KPCC leaders parrotted the BJP’s recriminatory campaign against the LDF government. They gave traction to cherry-picked information leaked by politically partisan Central agencies to taint the administration.
The CPI(M) said the Congress's weakness had helped the BJP win a seat in the 2016 Assembly elections.
CPI(M) State secretary M. Govindan said the party was not opposed to the padayatra. But, it reserved the right to respond to criticism.
It appears the gloves are off even as the padayatra meanders through the State. Mr. Gandhi will complete the Kerala leg of his trek on September 29.
