Pinarayi 'intimidating’ former party workers, accuses Keralam Minister C.P. John

Transport Minister and Communist Marxist Party (CMP) general secretary C.P. John cautioned Leader of the Opposition and Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] Polit Bureau member Pinarayi Vijayan, against “intimidating” former party workers who had won elections after defecting from the CPI(M) following ideological and organisational differences.In a statement in Thiruvananthapuram on Monday (August 31, 2026), Mr. John said that if Mr. Vijayan’s speeches in Payyannur and Taliparamba are meant to intimidate leaders, who have left the party and became MLAs, as well as workers who stood with them, such attempts will not be successful anymore. He also accused Mr. Vijayan of making efforts to hide his isolation within the party and to make it seem like he is the real spokesperson of the party.“Strong moves are under way against Mr. Vijayan within the CPI(M). The demand for him to vacate the position of the Leader of the Opposition and M.V. Govindan to vacate the position of State secretary has been raised from the branch level to the State level. It is noticeable that neither the State leaders nor prominent leaders from Kannur attended Mr. Vijayan’s speeches. Instead of the Central Committee’s suggestion that the party should be corrected, Mr. Vijayan’s statement that the people, not the party, should be corrected is a warning that no one should attempt to correct it,” said Mr. John.He said the fact that the Communist Party of India (CPI) has been pushing for the post of Deputy Leader of the Opposition should also be seen as part of a manoeuvre against Mr. Vijayan.“The strategy of making the CPI strongly demand a position that it never had and making it appear that Mr. Vijayan is the one standing against it is the strategy of the opposition faction in the CPI(M). The United Democratic Front and the democratically conscious society in Kerala will not sit idly if the Leader of the Opposition threatens those who have been democratically elected,” he said. Published - August 31, 2026 08:51 pm IST