Thiruvananthapuram, May 23 (IANS) The CPI(M) is witnessing an unusual phase of internal dissent, with criticism of senior leader Pinarayi Vijayan intensifying across party committee meetings following a major electoral setback in Kerala.

The discontent has surfaced even as the party holds a three-day review meeting in Delhi, which Vijayan is not attending. Party leaders are assessing the scale of the defeat and the growing dissatisfaction within the ranks.

What has stunned the top CPI (M) leadership is not merely the scale of the defeat, but the intensity of the revolt now surfacing openly from within the party ranks.

For the first time in his long and formidable political career, Pinarayi Vijayan is facing direct calls for resignation from sections of his own party machinery. The sharpest attack came from the CPI(M) Parassala Area Committee meeting, where area secretary S. Ajayakumar demanded that Pinarayi resign from his MLA post and set an example.

Holding him solely responsible for the debacle, Ajayakumar reportedly declared that Pinarayi was unfit to become Leader of the Opposition and should step down with dignity.

The criticism carried added weight because Ajayakumar had long been seen as a staunch loyalist who once organised cultural performances glorifying Vijayan.

At the CPI(M) Tiruvambady Area Committee meeting too, tempers flared after some members blamed P.A. Mohammed Riyas for the defeat. Riyas is the son-in-law of Vijayan and was also a State Minister. He has won this time from the Beypore seat.

The controversy deepened when state committee member Chandran reportedly warned that disciplinary action could follow unless proof was produced against Riyas. The warning came even as the party leadership repeatedly maintained that open criticism was welcome during review meetings.

Several committee meetings across the state have also witnessed severe criticism against party state secretary M.V. Govindan and Pinarayi, with members attacking their political style, public conduct, and handling of sensitive issues.

Leaders complained that remarks like ‘kadakku purath’ and ‘dash mone’ politically backfired and alienated voters.

Despite the mounting pressure, there is little indication of any leadership change. The national leadership has reportedly already cleared Pinarayi Vijayan’s next assignment as Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly.

What now worries the CPI (M) most is that this defeat follows two earlier setbacks, the rout in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and the disappointing 2025 local body polls.

Each time, the leadership insisted the party would ‘bounce back’, but the recovery never came, leaving the once-invincible Left fortress facing its gravest crisis in decades.

–IANS

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