No differences in CPI(M)'s Kerala unit, says Kodiyeri

CPI(M) in Kerala today sought to project its state unit as one without any differences, saying there was only one voice in it, which is it's strength.
"There is only one voice in the state unit now. There are no differing voices. This is the party's strength", Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, who was today re-elected unanimously for another three year as Kerala unit secretary at the 22nd state CPI(M) meet here, told reporters.
The second term for him comes at a time when reports of alleged financial fraud by his elder son Binoy Kodiyeri has surfaced, causing huge embarrassment to the party in Kerala.

Balakrishnan said that during the 2015 state committee meet at Alapuzha, the party had ensured that factionalism at the highest level was rooted out.
"After three years, there is no factionalism even at the district level," he claimed.
It was at the state committee meeting in February 2015 that former Chief Minister V S Achutanandan had walked out, unhappy with leadership of the then party secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, for allegedly isolating and running him down.

However, Achuthanandan was the party's mascot in the 2016 assembly polls, which saw the LDF government riding to power and Vijayan being appointed Chief Minister.

The four-day state committee, which concluded today with a public meeting, did not take any decision on the cabinet reshuffle, Kodiyeri said.
On forging ties with Congress to defeat the BJP at the national level, he said "our main aim is to defeat the saffron party."
CPI(M) would go all out to defeat BJP. However, there would be no understanding with Congress to achieve this, he said, adding that the party's central committee had also ruled out any truck with that party.
There was no confusion in the party's Kerala unit in this regard, he said.
Asked about the performance of the party ministers, he said CPI(M) had a mechanism to evaluate their performance.

No decision was taken at the state committee on expanding the LDF by bringing in the Kerala Congress (M) faction led by former Finance Minister K M Mani, he said.
On the coming bypoll to Chengannur assembly constituency, necessitated following the death of CPI(M) MLA K K Ramachandran Nair, Kodiyeri expressed confidence that the party and the Front would retain the seat.
The 87- member state committee was re-constituted today by bringing in 10 new faces by replacing nine existing members.
Achutanandan, Paloli Mohammedkutty, P K Gurudasan, M M Lawrence, K N Ravidranath attended the meeting as special invitees.