Thiruvananthapuram, 30 August (H.S.): The Communist Party of India (CPI) has stepped up its criticism of the CPM over the dispute surrounding the post of deputy leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly, warning that unilateral decisions could weaken relations within the political front.

In an article published in the CPI mouthpiece Janayugom, senior party leader Rajaji Mathew Thomas said a coalition should function through collective leadership, mutual respect and shared responsibility. No constituent party, irrespective of its strength, should impose decisions without consulting its allies, he said.

The article was written in response to CPM state secretariat member C.N. Mohanan's recent piece in the party newspaper Deshabhimani. The CPI's strongly worded response indicates that differences between the two parties over the Assembly position remain unresolved.

Rajaji Mathew Thomas said it was the CPM that had advised the CPI against raising the deputy Opposition leader issue at a meeting of the political front. The CPI had respected that suggestion and avoided turning the matter into a dispute within the alliance, he noted.

However, once the controversy entered the public domain and became the subject of widespread media discussion, the party could not remain silent. Responding to the allegations was necessary to protect the CPI's dignity and political standing, the article said.

The CPI leader also objected to attempts to invoke past political developments, including events linked to the Emergency, while discussing the present disagreement. Dragging unrelated historical controversies into the debate would serve no constructive purpose and could deepen existing divisions between the coalition partners, he warned.

The article called upon the leadership to address disputes through consultation and dialogue instead of exchanging allegations through party publications. It also emphasised that the stability of any political alliance depended on respecting the identity, contribution and concerns of every constituent.

The latest exchange has brought the internal differences within the front into the open and could increase pressure on its leaders to resolve the controversy before it escalates further.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman