Thiruvananthapuram, 04 September (H.S.): CPM State secretary M.V. Govindan has backed former Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s controversial assertion that voters had “made a mistake” in the Assembly elections, saying party workers who voted against official CPM candidates had indeed erred and should correct their position.

Govindan said party members had no right to vote against candidates fielded by the CPM and maintained that instances of such cross-voting had occurred in constituencies including Payyannur and Taliparamba.

According to him, even traditional CPM votes had shifted in Payyannur. Party members, he said, were bound by organisational discipline and were expected to support candidates officially chosen by the leadership.

Govindan argued that Vijayan’s comments had been taken out of context and that controversy had been created by highlighting only a portion of his remarks. Vijayan had addressed four meetings in Kannur and had spoken on issues contained in the CPM State and Central committee review reports, he said.

The former Chief Minister had explained the party’s assessment of the election results before criticising those who adopted positions contrary to the CPM, Govindan added. He maintained that some voters and party supporters had been misled during the election and said Vijayan was referring to the reasons behind this when he made the remarks.

Govindan also rejected criticism from former party figures T.K. Govindan and V. Kunhikrishnan, questioning their authority to comment on the CPM’s internal assessment. He accused them of having abandoned the party and said their observations need not be treated as authoritative by the CPM.

However, when reporters asked whether the party itself had given voters reasons to change their political preferences, and whether it was the people or the CPM that needed to correct mistakes, Govindan did not give a direct response.

His defence comes amid mounting criticism of Vijayan’s remarks that voters had erred in the election.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Arun Lakshman