'Performance of Ministers except Pinarayi below par; single district dominates': criticisms in CPM

Kollam: The performance of Ministers, except Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, came under criticism at the CPM state conference. A delegate from Central Travancore raised the criticism regarding the performance of Ministers. State Secretary M V Govindan also faced severe criticism at the conference.

The delegate alleged that there was no teamwork and that the state committee should function with greater responsibility. While the party frequently speaks about merit, the delegate questioned how merit is determined. It was pointed out that one district dominates in terms of representation. Despite the government's commendable initiatives, some decisions tarnish its image. The decision to hike the salary of PSC members while ASHA workers were on strike was cited as an example.

The review report presented by the secretary observed that Minister Saji Cheriyan's lack of caution in the use of words had harmed the party. Although he is handling the Cultural Affairs Department efficiently, he should exercise more care in his statements instead of making remarks like ‘kuntham and kudachakram’. Delegates who participated in the discussions echoed similar criticism against Saji Cheriyan.

However, Minister Mohammed Riyas was praised for managing his department efficiently. The report noted that Riyas was overcoming criticism and moving forward, while media attacks against him were intensifying.