CPM Leader Blames Enemies for Party's Defeat in Payyannur

KANNUR: Striking a note different from the party central committee’s assessment, CPM politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan said that it was the confusion created by the enemies of the CPM that led to the defeat of the party candidate in Payyannur, a traditional stronghold of the Left movement. Addressing a public meeting in Payyannur on Saturday, Pinarayi said the machinations of those who were in the party leadership, had succeeded in misleading people to some extent. It may be noted that the CPM central committee document on the defeat of the party in the assembly elections had stated that the party committed some mistakes in selecting the candidates in Payyannur and Taliparamba. “The selection of candidates in Taliparamba and Payyannur was not decided taking sufficient care,” said the document. But Pinarayi was silent on this aspect and chose to blame party enemies for creating confusion among the public. Pinarayi said the LDF’s defeat in the constituency was unexpected, as Payyannur was not traditionally considered a seat the front should lose. He said the CPM and the LDF had faced several opposition campaigns and allegations in the past and had successfully overcome them without suffering any major setback. He recalled that the CPM had emerged stronger from such periods of internal conflict, despite its opponents and sections of the right-wing media expecting the party to collapse.