The Great Communist Circus

While the Congress led UDF was ruling Kerala, there was so much infighting that the opposition spent most of their time watching soap operas on the television. Now that Communists are in power, they are pretty much doing the same, providing entertainment to those Malayalees who are still there.

The Kerala Government’s ruling party circus is playing out many more scenes. The ADB loan issue has been entertaining the people for quite some time. The Chief Minister’s group and Mr Vijayan’s supporters have been fighting it out in the open on the signing of the loan agreement. The Chief Minister has openly said that he was kept in the dark on the Cabinet note approving the loan that he had opposed tooth and nail while he was the Opposition leader. But Local Self-Government Department Minister Paloli Mohammed Kutty, who was earlier projected as Chief Minister by Mr Vijayan, had given direct orders to his officer to sign the agreement.

Mr Vijayan has termed his critics in the party who opposed the loan as “irresponsible ideological fossils” and “Left extremists”. He recalled how topmost CPI(M) leader EMS Namboodiripad had warned the party against both these “deviations” – Left extremism and Right socialism. Though he did not mention who these “Left extremists” were, it was obvious to his listeners that the reference was to the Achuthanandan group that remains opposed to the loan.

The people of Kerala have no choice but to watch the Communist circus even if its Government cannot provide them with bread. Kerala has the maximum number of unemployed and the consumer boom in the State is largely built on remittances from the Gulf and other regions of the world to which Malayalees have migrated in search of jobs. Few are keen on reposing faith in the State as trade unions and environmentalists have together ensured that nobody invests there – anyone who dares to invest is driven out under the pretext that it would have adverse effects. Meanwhile, the people can forget about the bread and butter and seek entertainment in the ongoing circus.[CPM circus in Kerala]