CPM-CPI relationship in Kerala worsening

The relationship between the CPM and the CPI, the two main parties in the ruling Left Front in Kerala, has been worsening over the last couple of months. It worsened further with a CPI MLA suffering police lathi-charge in Kochi on Tuesday.

Over the last couple of months, there were many instances of CPI openly opposing initiatives of the CPM as well as the functioning of the police department. Since Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan himself was holding the home portfolio, the criticism against the police department was more damaging for the Left Front.

On Tuesday, CPI workers including party MLA Eldho Abraham suffered lathi-charge, as they took out a march to a police inspector general office to protest against favoritism by police during a recent clash between SFI-AISF workers.

A couple of weeks back, Idukki district's CPI secretary K K Sivaraman had strongly criticised the police for the death of a person following custodial torture. The CPI also carried out a police station march, causing much embarrassment to the CPM.

Last month, the chief minister himself initiated moves to set up police commissionerates in Thiruvananthapuram and Kochi cities, with magisterial powers to city police commissioners. The government was forced to shelve this as the CPI also raised concerns over the move, apart from some other rights organisations.

A source in the Left Front said that the CPI strongly feels that the adamant stand of the CPM, especially Pinarayi Vijayan, on various issues like Sabarimala caused the Left Front's poor performance in the Lok Sabha polls.