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Shailaja’s exclusion from Kerala Cabinet triggers debate; CPI (M) defends move
Some netizens called Shailaja’s omission a mistake amid the second Covid-19 wave as her work was appreciated during the first wave. Others compared her to another communist leader, late KR Gouri Amma, who was denied Kerala’s chief ministership in the 1980s
The exclusion of former Kerala health minister K K Shailaja, 64, from the Left Democratic Front government, which was voted back to power this month, trigged much debate on social media. Some netizens called Shailaja’s omission a mistake amid the second Covid-19 wave as her work was appreciated during the first wave. Others compared her to another communist leader, late KR Gouri Amma, who was denied Kerala’s chief ministership in the 1980s. On Twitter, some questioned whether “ego and sexism” was behind Shailaja’s omission and said she merits an exception even if the ruling Communist Party of India (Marxism), or CPI(M), was inducting new faces.
Shailaja, who also led Kerala’s fight against the Nipah virus in 2018, was re-elected to the Kerala assembly by a margin of 61,035 votes from Mattannur. Her victory margin was bigger than that of chief minister-elect Pinarayi Vijayan.
Watch | KK Shailaja speaks after Left govt drops her from new Kerala Cabinet
MB Rajesh, who is due to be sworn in as the Kerala Speaker, said those who are surprised or shocked or feel Shailaja’s exclusion was unexpected are unaware of the norms of CPI (M). “They compare us to other bourgeois parties, for whom parliamentary responsibilities are the sole responsibilities. For communists, parliamentary responsibilities are not the sole political activity. That is why Shailaja... has been replaced and given new responsibility of the party’s chief whip.”
PA Muhammad Riyas’s inclusion into the ministry has also come under scrutiny as the head of the CPI(M)’s youth wing is also Vijayan’s son-in-law.
Rajesh rejected allegations of nepotism. “You should not undermine Riyas’s contributions to the party by merely referring to him as the chief minister’s son-in-law. He is the DYFI [Democratic Youth Federation of India] president and his contribution to the party has been invaluable.”
Rajesh also defended the invitation to 5,000 people for Vijayan and his ministry’s swearing-in on Thursday despite the pandemic. “The venue has a seating capacity of 50,000 people. So, all the Covid protocols and social distancing would be strictly followed. Also, 500 is the maximum number of people we are expecting. The actual number might be lower.”
