The CPM in Kerala is 'divided', not over any political or ideological issues, but over the FIFA world cup.
A post made by Kerala education minister V Sivankutty, who was also a former footballer, kicked off the football fervour with a social media post that Brazil will lift the cup this time.
What followed was a 'shoot-out' of comments by CPM MLAs and senior leaders. While many backed Brasil, many were in favour of Argentina.
K M Sachin Dev, the youngest legislator in the Kerala Assembly who recently got married to youngest mayor Arya Rajendran, was among those who backed Sivankutty in favour of Brazil.
But senior CPM leaders like left-front convenor E P Jayarajan and MLA M M Mani were among those who backed Argentina.
While Jayarajan commented that Argentina that lifted Copa America will kiss the Qatar world cup too, Mani said that he wished that Brasil did not take the first return flight from Qatar and played at least till semi-finals.
Young CPM MLA from Thiruvananthapuram V K Prasanth, popularly known as 'MLA bro' also backed Argentina.
CPM P V Sreenijin's hope that England would lift the cup did not get much backing.
As the debate was progressing some CPM supporters cautioned the party leaders that anti CPM media may report that serious infight was going on in the CPM in Kerala.
Some also jibed at Jayarajan by recollecting an earlier goof-up he made by referring to boxer Muhammad Ali as a Keralite.
(Published 22 October 2022, 01:16 IST)
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