Front politics in Kerala shaking up

By O J George


I have been watching with great interest the unending talkathon going on in various channels by journalists, analysts and political and non-political leaders of various hues regarding the serious seat sharing issue confronting the Left Democratic Front in Kerala.

No one has analysed the issue in such a way that there is some hidden agenda by interested parties to unseat V S Achuthanandan from Chief Ministership.

The earlier attempt was to provoke VS not to participate in the march led by bete noire Pinarayi Vijayan. But somehow that got blown over.

But the fact remains that Pinarayi Vijayan may have to give up his post of state secretary of CPM at least after the Lok Sabha elections. His faction would not want Achuthanandan to continue as Chief Minister when Pinarayi Vijayan would be counting days outside the party echelons.

The best way would be to provoke the LDF partners into parting ways. That has come into being. Janata Dal(Secular) has decided to withdraw its minister, Mathew T Thomas, from the Achuthanandan ministry.

CPI is on the verge of walking out of the front. CPM may be toying with the idea that when CPI and Janata Dal go out, it can draft PDP and NCP.

Anyway the situation is akin to a complete restructuring of the front politics in Kerala.