On Thursday, defying a directive from the social gathering excessive commandThomas introduced that he would attend a seminar on Centre-state relations, to be held on Saturday as a part of the On-going CPM Congress in Kannur. Thomas left it to the social gathering to determine what it needs to do with him. But, whereas the Congress had earlier threatened motion ought to Thomas settle for the CPM invite, it’s now dragging its toes, cautious of the fallout. Party state president Ok Sudhakaran mentioned they’d wait until the seminar was over.
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With Thomas seen because the excessive command’s man, the state unit has apparently conveyed to the central management that it ought to determine find out how to punish this “insult” in addition to “act of indiscipline”. However, for the Delhi management, which counts the Left events as comrade in the reason for a nationwide platform, motion in opposition to Thomas over participation in a CPM occasion is likely to be counterproductive.
Yechury with delegates on the twenty third CPI(M) Party Congress. (PTI Photo)
On Thursday, saying that he would go to the CPM seminar, Thomas attested to his good relations with “madam” (Sonia Gandhi), but additionally made clear his lukewarm ties with Rahul Gandhi. “Rahul hasn’t talked to a senior chief like me since December 2018,” he mentioned.
For the Congress, motion in opposition to Thomas may go mistaken many various methods. On Wednesday, CPM basic secretary Sitaram Yechury mentioned on the social gathering Kannur meet that the Congress, amongst different events, ought to “set its house in order” and hinted that it ought to drop its gentle Hindutva method. With the Kerala CPM prone to be extra aggressive than its central management, the Congress fears motion in opposition to Thomas can be projected by the Left as a transfer taken on the behist of the BJP.
Senior CPM chief MV Jayarajan advised as a lot, saying the Congress response to its invite for leaders equivalent to Thomas and Shashi Tharoor confirmed its lack of ability to combat the Sangh Parivar agenda. Tharoor had earlier turned down the invite after the Congress objections.
MP Rajmohan Unnithan, among the many most vocal Congress leaders in opposition to Thomas, dismissed his justification that he would attend the seminar for shielding nationwide pursuits. “All non-BJP events need the Congress to take the lead in forming a secular platform on the nationwide stage. Only the CPM in Kerala is in opposition to Congress management of such an alliance. How can a Congress chief participate in an occasion of the CPM?” he mentioned.
Action in opposition to Thomas, which might result in both his exit from the social gathering or additional alienation, can even additional weaken the Congress in Kerala.
Thomas has been alienated from the Congress management since he was denied a ticket within the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. In the following reshuffle of the state unit, he was not thought-about for any key put up. There had been rumors of him being in talks with the BJP, which has been on the lookout for Christian faces in Kerala.
A Congress member since 1970, the previous chemistry professor can be the second face among the many Christian group in Kerala, historically a Congress vote financial institution, to depart the social gathering if he does so. Thomas’s Latin Catholic group has appreciable presence in his residence turf Ernakulam. The Congress earlier misplaced PC Chacko after he give up when denied a ticket for final yr’s Assembly elections.
A view of the doorway of the principle venue internet hosting the twenty third Communist Party of India (Marxist) Party Congress from April 6 to 10, at EK Nayanar Academy in Kannur. (PTI)
Before that, one other Christian chief, Oommen Chandy, was moved out of Kerala as a part of the change of guard within the state unit. The CPM has additionally attacked the Congress over this, accused it of relegating minorities to the margins.
While the CPM has not revealed its plans for Thomas, it has beforehand accommodated all Congress renegades. A ticket although is likely to be tough given the stand the CPM has taken over leaders above a sure age, regardless of a gap developing within the type of a by-election to Thrikkakara Assembly seat.
A positive guess in state elections for the Congress, Thomas is a five-term MP and two-term MLA. He has served as minister for tourism and fisheries in Kerala, and was a union minister within the UPA II regime. At the time, he had performed an important function in getting the meals safety Bill handed.
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With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
