Kerala CM Vijayan's silence on viral video praising him raises eyebrows

The over eight minutes long Malayalam video song showers praises on CM Pinarayi Vijayan by terming him as an 'undefeated person', 'phoenix bird' and a 'tree that grew up alone'.

Thiruvananthapuram: In the past, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has often flayed hero worship in the CPM rank and file. But now, he himself is keeping his silence about admiring songs and statements aimed at flattering him.

A video song titled 'Kerala CM' that praises Vijayan is now trending on social media. The over eight minutes long Malayalam video song showers praises on Vijayan by terming him as an 'undefeated person', 'phoenix bird' and a 'tree that grew up alone'.

Incidentally, the video came out close on the heels of CPM leader and cooperation minister V N Vasavan praising Vijayan as "God's gift" during the recently concluded 'Nava Kerala Sada' mass outreach programme of the Vijayan government.

Pinarayi Vijayan's prolonged silence about the hero worship directed at him has been raising many eyebrows as Vijayan himself had earlier flayed hero worship of party leaders like former Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan and senior leader P Jayarajan.

Factionalism was at its peak in the CPM in Kerala back when Vijayan was the party state secretary while Achuthanandan was the Chief Minister — both at two ends of the 'hero worship debate.

Achuthanandan was enjoying a lot of mass support at the time, owing to his anti-corruption stature. Irked over it, Vijayan had openly stated that the strength of a CPM worker was the collective strength of the party and not that of an individual.

A few years back a video song hailing party strong man from Kannur, P Jayarajan, had come out at a time when there were allegations that he was being sidelined by the official faction led by Vijayan.

At that time also, Vijayan had openly flayed the hero worship of CPM leaders.

However, now neither Vijayan nor the party leadership are flaying the video song hailing Vijayan. Party state secretary M V Govindan even termed Vijayan as a 'sun', citing that attempts by central agencies to reach Vijayan failed as Vijayan was like sun and those trying to reach near him would get burnt.

Left Democratic Front convenor E P Jayarajan justified the video song hailing Vijayan. He said that it was quite natural that songs and plays were brought out about persons owing to admiration.

The video song on Vijayan has been brought out by Nishanth Nila, who is a CPM activist. He told a section of the media that the video song was brought out owing to his admiration for Vijayan and it has no links with the party.