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'CPI to focus on governance and not leadership'
The CPI Kerala state secretary C K Chandrappan today said his party was not particular about projecting any candidate as the leader of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the run up to the April 13 assembly polls.
The CPI Kerala state secretary C K Chandrappan on Saturday said his party was not particular about projecting any candidate as the leader of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the run up to the April 13 assembly polls.
"The Front is approaching the people with a programme based on its performance in governance. What if a projected leader loses polls? It may be a classical understanding that a leader should be projected, but we do not go by that," the CPI leader said at a meet the press programme in Thiruvananthapuram.
To a question whether chief minister V S Achuthanandan should be fielded once again to capitalise on the achievements of his government, he said it was upto the CPI M to select their candidates.
"Achuthanandan is one of the best performers as chief minister in Kerala. He himself has said that his party would decide on the matter and I am happy with his stance," Chandrappan said.
On whether leaders facing corruption charges should be kept away from the fray, he said such matters should be discussed as part of the larger demand for electoral reforms.
Asked whether CPI M state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan chargesheeted by the CBI in the SNC-Lavalin graft case and JD S leader Neelalohitadasan Nadar, involved in cases of sexual harrassement, could be fielded, Chandrappan said "We hope that nothing that is immoral takes place in the LDF."
Rubbishing charges that LDF was 'trapping' UDF leaders in cases, he said 'those who eat salt will have to drink water'.
The image of the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre and that of the UDF in Kerala has taken a beating in recent months, he said.
He claimed that a united fight by the LDF could script a new chapter in Kerala's political history by registering victory in the poll for a second consecutive term.
In the coming assembly election, the CPI had decided not to field persons who had contested in two consecutive polls and those who had been members of Parliament or Assembly for more than 10 years. The decision was taken to give more chances to new leaders, Chandrappan said.
