Chandrappan: A soft man with a firm stand

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After he took charge as state secretary of the CPI almost a year ago, CK Chandrappan took a firm stand that CPI should have its own identity and the party should be strengthened with the active participation of youngsters.Chandrappan echoed this at party forums and, in the last CPI state conference held in Kollam, he called for Left unity but was firm on his stand that the CPI should not bow down to its bigger Left partner, the CPM.Even when he chose to take on CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan by saying that leaders should use decent and respectable language he did it with his signature smile and softness, remaining careful not to choose any language that is objectionable to anyone.It was the CPM’s move to use the morphed image of the ‘Last Supper’ to propagate the party’s fight against capitalism that prompted Chandrappan to lock horns with its big brother, something that CPI desisted when Veliyam Bhargavan was the party secretary for over 12 years. On the eve of the state party conference, Chandrappan did not mince words when he commented that CPM state conference was run by an event management group.Even after widespread criticism from various CPM leaders, Chandrappan was bold enough to air his comments and he did it with ease.“CPI as a party has its own identity and we have our own clear cut stand on each issue. If there is any ideologicald ifferences between the Left parties it can be understood but what is now happening are non issues,’’  was the words with which he faced the question about the row between the CPM and the CPI during the state party conference.Also, during the state conference, fighting against his age and ailment, he wasa ctively interacting with everyone and made sure that he interacted with young comrades, something which he was keen on doing throughout his political career.During the conference, he set the agenda ahead of the Kolkata party congress that CPI as a party should intervene more frequently in socio-political issues and work for the upliftment of minorities and the downtrodden.  He called for strengthening the ideological, political and party base.“More youngsters should be attracted to the party. Even those who left the Front should be brought back to the LDF fold,’’ he said in his address at the CPI state conference.