Kadakampally dismisses media reports of simmering discontentment within CPM, reiterates his loyalty
Thiruvananthapuram: CPM State Committee member Kadakampally Surendran rejected the news that he was dissatisfied with not being included in the party's state secretariat. On Tuesday, he dismissed rumours surrounding a photo he shared on Facebook and narrated his political journey to the reporters, claiming that he is neither a disillusioned nor disappointed party worker.
He clarified that there was nothing inappropriate about changing his Facebook cover photo and criticised the media, saying they were trying to create trouble. "Out of the 13 state conference meetings I have attended so far during my time with the party, the conference in Kollam, where the party united to form a new vision for Kerala, was the most politically enriching and meaningful conference. The discussions were constructive, and the media is trying to create problems out of nothing," he said.
“Media misconstrued the situation when the profile picture was changed and interpreted it to suit their motive. The profile pictures are not set by me; they are managed by my PA. This is a picture I am proud of, shared on Facebook, which showed my participation as the organiser of the massive ‘Nava Kerala March’ held in the capital in 2016. It was the concluding meeting of the Nava Kerala March led by Pinarayi Vijayan, in which lakhs of party workers gathered. I had the chance to address the party workers as the organiser of the meeting, and the picture of that speech was used as the profile picture. But the media took it as an occasion to misinterpret it to suit their agenda,” said Kadakampally.
He also highlighted his 48 years of service to the party, including spending four months in jail during the Emergency. He recalled that he had won local body elections by a whopping majority and had secured the largest margin in the district panchayat election in Kerala. He also mentioned his experience in contesting and winning the state assembly election, as well as a defeat due to a wrong decision. "When I moved from the place where I contested to Attingal, where I had to fight against a strong opponent, Vakkom Purushothaman, I lost. I have never followed anyone for the sake of positions. I have always fulfilled the responsibilities entrusted to me by the party with dedication and commitment," he said.
"I have no desire for any position in the party. Not being included in the secretariat does not cause me any dissatisfaction. The party is going through a period of transformation. It is not a party that should follow the old ways. We do not want to turn Kerala into West Bengal. We have learnt the lessons well. The party is getting stronger through a balance of the old and the new. That’s why younger and newer members, regardless of age or experience, have been included in the higher committee. New faces should come in. I do not believe in promoting people solely based on tradition. I do not support such views, and no one should," he said.
In response to a public statement by A Padmakumar, a member of the Pathanamthitta District secretariat, regarding making Veena George a special invitee to the state committee, Kadakampally said, "Who among the communists would doubt that Padmakumar’s approach is wrong?"