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CPI-M women get raw deal despite Brinda Karat's revolt

T K Devasia in Thiruvanathapuram

Women members of the Communist Party of India-Marxist in Kerala are unhappy with the party leadership for giving them a raw deal in the Politburo and central committee restructuring exercise.

They were expecting adequate representation in both the higher bodies following the revolt of Brinda Karat, wife of Politburo member Prakash Karat, at the party's Calcutta congress in October.

Angry women members now accuse the party leadership of adopting double standards. While the party has been campaigning for gender equality, it is reluctant to give due share to them in the party fora, said a women activist.

The leadership's decision to deny any representation to women in the Politburo and limit their representation to just five in the 75-member central committee speaks volumes of their double standards, said an All India Women's Democratic Federation member.

The leader wondered what moral right the party had to support the move for providing 33 per cent reservations for women in Parliament and state assemblies, when it has failed to provide even four per cent representation to women in the central committee.

However, the leader has expressed happiness over the move to co-opt state AIWDF secretary P K Sreemathi to the central committee.

But Sreemathy's elevation is seen by many as part of the ongoing faction feud in the party.

They claim that Sreemathy from Kannur has been promoted as she is close to Politburo member and ruling Left Democratic Front convener V S Achutanandan, who holds sway over party affairs in the state.

The party's women's wings was hoping that Industries Minister Susheela Gopalan, widow of the late Marxist leader A K Gopalan, would get a berth in the Politburo.

Party circles believe her case was not considered by the central committee at Achutanandan's behest; he is said to be angry with her trade union connections.

Achutanandan has not been on good terms with the minister ever since she tried to become chief minister after the 1996 assembly election. To scuttle her chances, Achutanandan brought in E K Nayanar, who had not fought the assembly election.

In fact, Achutanandan himself aspired to become chief minister, but he lost his chance when he was defeated at Mararikkulam. He alleged that the trade union lobby, led by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions, had masterminded his defeat in order to prevent his elevation to the top job.

He believes that Susheela Gopalan, who belongs to the adjacent constituency, and her supporters had a hand in his defeat.

To avenge this defeat, Achutanandan has initiated action against his detractors in the CITU. He is also unhappy with Susheela Gopalan's performance and is said to be waiting for an opportunity to ease her out of the Nayanar ministry.

He has already clipped her wings by removing her advisor and Kerala State Industrial Development Corporation chairman K Vijayachandran for his alleged links with the 'Save CPI-M Forum' which had launched a campaign against Achutanandan following the party's state conference last January.

He also expelled Vijayachandran from the party when he accused Achutanandan of being in league with the Ezhava communal lobby.

Achutanandan has had mixed luck in the composition of the new Politburo. While he has been successful in elevating his ally, state CPI-M secretary Pinarayi Vijayan to the party's highest body, he failed to ensure a berth for some of his other supporters -- including Finance Minister Sivadasa Menon and Kodiyeri Balakrishnan -- either in the Politburo or central committee.

He also suffered a setback when he failed to stall the entry of all-India CITU general secretary M K Pandhe, who had supported the trade unionists in Kerala in their battle against the Achutanandan faction, into the Politburo. Pandhe has been elevated, despite a complaint against him by Pinarayi Vijayan.

Achutanandan also failed to block the retention of E Balanandan, who has been critical of him, in the Politburo.

However, with Pinarayi Vijayan's inclusion in the Politburo, Kerala has retained its unassailable position in the top body with five members. Besides Vijayan, others from the state in the Politburo are Achutanandan, Balanandan, Nayanar and S Ramachandran Pillai.

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