Even as newly appointed Left Democratic Front (LDF) convenor E.P. Jayarajan is keenly trying to expand the base of the Left coalition, the State leadership of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI-M] is eagerly enthusiastic about the merger of minor constituents within the front.
Even before the Assembly polls last year, the CPI(M) leadership had mooted the idea of the merger of the Janata Dal (Secular) and Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD). However, the proposal not only failed to take off but spiraled into a complex issue after its national president Sharad Yadav merged the LJD with Lalu Prasad Yadav’s Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) last month.
Caught in a quandary, the Kerala committee of LJD has constituted a sub-committee headed by its president M.V. Shreyams Kumar to decide on merging the party with any socialist entity including the Samajwadi Party.
This apart, the CPI(M) leadership is also exerting pressure on Kerala Congress(B), the Democratic Kerala Congress (DKC), and Kerala Congress (Skaria Thomas) for their amalgamation. Besides, it wanted the residual faction of Congress(S) led by Kadannappally Ramachandran to merge with the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).
The CPI(M) allocated cabinet berths to four single-MLA parties on a term-sharing basis, except for the LJD. Subsequently, Antony Raju of DKC and Ahammad Devarkovil of Indian National League (INL) secured Ministership for two-and-half years. K. B Ganesh Kumar of Kerala Congress(B) and Mr. Ramachandran of Congress(S) will replace them for the remaining tenure under the political agreement reached among the partners.
Among the combinations that worked in favour of the LDF in the Assembly elections was the masterstroke by the CPI(M) sewing up a rainbow coalition comprising 11 constituents. Despite the electoral headway, the CPI(M) is facing problems in managing these partners including the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the INL.
The INL has finally split into two factions with the faction led by former State president A.P. Abdul Wahab forming a parallel committee while Minister for Ports Ahammad Devarkovil getting elected State president of the official faction. The CPI(M) has not supported or preferred either of them so far.
The NCP is beset by internal bickering with the detractors of the State president P.C. Chacko accusing him of appointing his close aides in key party positions to control the party and the party’s lone Minister A.K. Saseendran.
