Paravur (Kerala), March 12 (IANS) Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan on Thursday launched a sharp attack on the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist, claiming that the party was facing the “biggest crisis in its history in Kerala” and warning that it could meet the same fate as its counterparts after the upcoming Assembly elections.

Satheesan said the CPI-M’s decline was the result of what he described as the arrogance of power during the decade-long rule of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

“Many committed communists, Left sympathisers, and respected leaders have already distanced themselves from the party. The CPI-M has moved away from communist ideals and is now functioning like a far-right organisation,” he alleged.

The recent decision of veteran leader G. Sudhakaran to part ways with the party and contest independently was the latest example of the cracks emerging within the CPI-M, he noted.

Satheesan said his Congress and the United Democratic Front would collectively decide whether to extend support to Sudhakaran, whom he described as “a respected communist leader”.

According to him, several local CPI-M leaders had already joined the Congress during the Opposition’s “New Era” outreach programme.

“Such a flow of leaders leaving the CPI-M has not happened before in Kerala’s political history,” he claimed, adding that public discontent against the government had been steadily growing.

Satheesan also accused the state government of misusing public funds for publicity campaigns.

“No government that ruled Kerala has ever spent crores from the state treasury for election propaganda,” he said, alleging that taxpayer money was being used to promote the Chief Minister and the ruling party.

The Opposition leader further questioned the government’s claims on welfare and infrastructure achievements, including housing and electricity supply.

He argued that several of the projects now being highlighted by the government had either been initiated earlier or were being exaggerated for political gain.

Referring to controversies involving ministers and governance issues, Satheesan said the CPI-M’s “moral decline” had become evident even to its senior leaders.

He added that protests emerging within the party over Sudhakaran’s move were themselves a sign of internal turmoil.

“All the propaganda being carried out now is based on false claims, and it is being funded by public money,” Satheesan said, warning that voters would eventually deliver a strong verdict against the ruling front.

–IANS

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