By Sanu V. George
Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 10 (IANS): The same Kerala unit of CPI(M) which once opposed tractors and computers with all its might in 70s and 80s, is now ironically batting for mechanisation, computerisation and opening the doors for foreign educational institutions to turn Kerala into an educational hub.
Over the years, the party has realised that what it considered as "detrimental" to the interests of the state is actually the "need of the hour".
They attribute the paradigm shift to nothing else but people's welfare.
"Present circumstances are totally different and there is no other way out," said Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Thursday when reminded that once he had asked the people of the state not to pay the increased charges when the Congress-led UDF raised taxes.
A media critic on condition of anonymity said the CPI(M) thrives on rhetorics and what they fail to realise is it has badly let them down first in West Bengal where they ruled for over three decades at a stretch and now in Tripura also.
"Their biggest advantage is their disciplined cadres, who have no other way but to just follow their leaders on issues and take the message to the people. There is not a word of discontentment from any levels. Can this phenomenon ever happen in parties like the Congress and the gullible masses believe, just see there are no issues in the CPI(M). Whereas in the Congress, it's just chaos and there is no unanimity on any issues, leaving many to think that things will not be good for them. This is what the CPI(M) exploits and does it well," said the critic.
And the latest being the Rs 2 fuel cess introduced none other than by Finance Minister K.N. Balagopal, who as a student was always at the forefront of the protests.
Asked about the party drumming up support for something it has been tooth and nail, he said, "All what we do is just for the people and they know that very well."
Hence, the party feels that Vijayan and the other leaders take divergent positions on the same issue just for the people.
To a pertinent question, "can the Kerala CPI(M) do no wrong?" one can only wonder and ask "what went wrong in West Bengal and Tripura?"