CPI in Kerala hits back at CPI-M

Stung by the CPI(M) raking up its past Congress connection, the CPI in Kerala today hit back at the senior partner saying it would be better to refrain from digging up the past as both the parties had backed the Congress at one time or the other.
Launching a broadside at its ally over some local issues that strained their relations, CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan had yesterday said CPI still had the hangover of its past Congress connection.
In a sharp but sarcastic point-by-point rebuttal of Vijayan's charges, CPI state secretary Panniyan Raveendran said the CPI-M leader had chosen to gloss over the fact that in more recent times the two parties had together propped up the UPA-I ministry led by the Congress.

"No one need to think that we could be intimidated by raking up the past.. The good Communist practice is to correct mistakes rather than clinging to them," Raveendran said.
Citing instances of the Communists extending support to the Congress, he said it was quite unfortunate that Vijayan dragged the name of late CPI stalwart P K Vasudevan Nair to buttress his arguments.
Significantly, Raveendran met the media just before the LDF state committee is to meet to discuss local issues including the bar bribe allegation against Finance Minister K M Mani.

Relations between the two parties have strained with CPI flaying the CPI(M) for not taking initiative to launch a combined LDF agitation against Mani by taking a soft approach towards him.

The provocation for the CPI(M) was Raveendran's recent statement that the lead partner of the LDF was engaging in "adjustment agitations" instead of lining up the entire LDF to take on the UDF government.
The comment was seen as veiled attack on the party for adopting a soft approach to Mani, who heads Kerala Congress (M) which is a partner in the ruling Congress-led UDF, apparently to keep possibility of a future alliance open.
Strongly refuting the ally's charge, Vijayan said CPI still suffered from its Congress hangover.