LDF meeting skips crucial internal issues, decides to focus on local body bypolls
Convener T.P. Ramakrishnan says CPI’s demand for the Deputy Leader of the Opposition post was not on the meeting’s agenda. He denied that the CPI’s ire and the feuding within allies such as INL had prompted the CPI(M) to defer the meeting
The Left Democratic Front (LDF) leadership meeting on Monday bypassed several contentious internal issues and instead focused on the upcoming local body byelection in 38 wards, casting it as a verdict on the "stark shortcomings" of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government. The LDF convened after a three-month absence due to criticism within the alliance over the Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)]'s "top-down" approach to minor constituents.
Communist Party of India (CPI) leaders have publicly expressed exasperation at the CPI(M) for not addressing their demand for the post of Deputy Leader of the Opposition. LDF convener T.P. Ramakrishnan stated that this demand was not on the meeting's agenda and denied that the CPI's ire and internal strife had caused the delay. The split within the Janata Dal (Secular) partner in Kerala, primarily due to Janata Dal (Secular) national leader H.D.
Deve Gowda's decision to ally with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and the internal split within the Indian National League (INL) led to further divisions. Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan's affinity with the BJP's pro-Hindutva National Education Policy (NEP)-linked PM SHRI school education scheme and the dismantling of various schemes by the UDF government were highlighted by Ramakrishnan to influence public opinion against the incumbent government before the local body elections.
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