CITU meet: Suspense over chances of showdown

By Our Special Correspondent

ALAPPUZHA, NOV. 28. The atmosphere is tense at the venue of the CITU State conference here, possibly in anticipation of a showdown when the new office-bearers are chosen.

If the developments of the last few days are anything to go by, the conference might well end up with a headcount to decide who stands where. But the incorrigible optimists would have one believe that the crisis would blow over at the very last minute. Any showdown, both the pessimists and optimists remind one darkly, would cost the organisation dearly.

What the organisation is currently witnessing appears to be a realignment of forces spread over the CITU and the CPI(M). Till recently, one was hearing about a honeymoon between the CITU loyalists and those who swear by the CPI(M) politburo member, Mr. V.S. Achuthanandan. But the situation seems to have developed serious complications with the veteran leader opposing any attempt to extend whatever bridge-building he has done so far to the election of CITU office-bearers.

At the State secretariat meeting held on Saturday, the majority view was in favour of replacing Mr. Ravindranath with the party Central committee member, Mr. P.K. Gurudasan, and to retain the present State president, Mr. C. Kannan. However, when the issue was placed before the State committee the next day, there were many who felt that any such move would prove counter- productive, particularly at a time when the Assembly elections are round the corner.

The experience of the party in Alappuzha and Ernakulam in the just-concluded local bodies election was cited by them to buttress their argument. The CPI(M) and the LDF had performed well in Alappuzha following the efforts of the CITU loyalists and the Achuthanandan faction to work in tandem. In Ernakulam, an angry CITU wing had spoiled the LDF's party by either falling silent or going on the offensive in several local bodies. Party workers who had been declared persona non grata by the CPI(M) district leadership emerged as dissident candidates killing the chances of many a LDF nominee. Those who cited these instances reminded the party leadership that the same fate would befall the party when it goes to the Assembly polls if the CITU is further antagonised.

The matter was then referred back to the CPI(M) State secretariat which came up with the proposal to ease out Mr. Kannan and have Mr. Ravindranath as the CITU State president, a kind of a consolation prize. Many of the Achuthanandan loyalists still found the decision unpalatable, but finally the second proposal was carried. The decision has proved to be double-edged for the CITU loyalists as well. They cannot possibly think of dispensing with the services of a veteran leader like Mr. Kannan who is known simply as ``C'' in party and CITU circles. They cannot also hope to defeat the move to effect a leadership change in the CITU if they do not get the support of those who want a total shake-up in the State CITU.

What would happen on December 1 when the delegates get down to the business of choosing new office-bearers for the State CITU would depend on how much of a spirit of accommodation the rival sides would show or the kind of alignment that evolves over the coming two days.

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Section  : Southern States
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