Kerala: New faces mantra Pinarayi’s ploy to eliminate ‘threats’ in cabinet?

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a surprise but calculated move, the CPM has dropped health minister K K Shailaja from the second Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet.
CPM leaders said the decision was based on the “common agreement” that none of the incumbent ministers should be included in the Pinarayi government 2.0. However, many in the party and outside view the push for new faces from Vijayan as a ploy to knock out his potential competitors and solidify more power in his hands.

Vijayan and Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had proposed the idea of inducting fresh faces in the cabinet in the party politburo meeting last week and party general secretary Yechury had in fact asked the state leadership to give an exemption to Shailaja in view of the popularity she earned as the health minister.

“Teacher was aware of the move to drop her from the cabinet and had spoken to Yechury about it. She was hopeful that the party general secretary’s intervention would prompt the state leadership to change its stand,” sources close to Shailaja said.

“I accept the party decision. I would do what the party demands,” Shailaja said during her brief interaction with media. “The government’s success was a collective one. I too played a part. That’s it,” said Shailaja.
Though CPM had made it clear that it would not consider sitting ministers to the new cabinet, there was a feeling that the party would consider Shailaja as a special case, considering the fact that her experience would be unmatchable in the fight against Covid-19.
It was Kodiyeri Balakrishnan who conveyed to the CPM state committee about the party politburo’s and state secretariat’s decision that all the party ministers in the next cabinet should be new faces. A few members in the state committee stood for Shailaja, but their requests were turned down.
The leadership role that Shailaja played in the fight against Covid-19 outbreak in Kerala had earned her a name even outside the country.
“Under the garb of giving a chance to new faces, Vijayan has eliminated all potential threats and dissent in his new cabinet. He also wants to wash his hands of the bad reputation several of his cabinet colleagues had earned,” said CPM former state committee member Appukkuttan Vallikkunnam.
The CPM, that too upon the insistence of Vijayan, had denied seats to 38 sitting MLAs in the assembly elections. Senior leaders like G Sudhakaran and T M Thomas Isaac too were denied seats.
But the move to give more opportunities to youngsters paid off as the party and LDF were able to retain power by putting an end to the practice of Congress and CPM-led fronts winning the elections alternately. This has given Pinarayi more authority to dictate terms single-handedly.