Thiruvananthapuram | Keralam Chief Minister V D Satheesan on Wednesday said the ruling LDF was in "turmoil," with constituent parties CPI(M) and CPI locked in a bitter war of words, adding that strong dissent was brewing against the CPI(M) leadership.
"The LDF is in turmoil. The CPI(M) and CPI are throwing mud at each other. There is strong dissent against the leadership of the Marxist party," Satheesan said at a press conference here.
"We are watching it from outside and enjoying it. That is all. We have not taken any political decision in this matter," he added.
Satheesan was responding to a question about the ongoing row between the Left allies over the Deputy Leader of Opposition post in the Keralam Assembly.
He accused the CPI(M) of mobilising its student and youth wings to stage violent street protests to divert attention from the political issues confronting the party.
He was apparently referring to a protest march organised by the Students' Federation of India, the CPI(M)'s student wing, here on Tuesday over the complete rendition of Vande Mataram at an event attended by Vice President C P Radhakrishnan, during which several student activists were injured in a clash with police.
The Democratic Youth Federation of India held protests in Thiruvananthapuram and Kanhangad, alleging a delay in the investigation into the Kasaragod MDMA case, in which a former Youth Congress leader was arrested.
Satheesan questioned the CPI(M) leadership over why its student and youth wings were taking to the streets over such issues.
He alleged that the Marxist party's leadership was sending young cadres onto the streets to protest against the government in an attempt to divert attention from political issues confronting the party.
Referring to Tuesday's SFI protest, Satheesan alleged that the protesters had attempted to provoke police and deliberately create a confrontation by grabbing the collar of an assistant commissioner of police.
He said a police report had stated that one of the protesters was injured after hitting a barricade.
Satheesan referred to the protest over the Kasaragod MDMA case, saying the protesters had alleged that the phone of a person arrested in the case, whom they claimed was closely connected to the CM, had not been examined.
Rejecting the allegation, Satheesan said examination of the arrested person's phone had led investigators to a woman in Gwalior, who was subsequently arrested.
He alleged that an area convenor of the DYFI, which organised the protests, had recently been arrested in connection with an MDMA case.
The previous LDF government had, for a long period, protected the drug mafia and provided it with "political patronage", Satheesan alleged.
The CM, however, praised the Home Department's ongoing Operation Toofan anti-narcotics drive and Minister Ramesh Chennithala for leading the campaign.
He warned that strong action would be taken against the drug mafia if it attacked police personnel, excise officials, members of the public or people's representatives involved in the fight against drugs.
