An organised attempt is under way to weaken the Left Democratic Front (LDF), Communist Party of India (CPI) national executive member K.P. Rajendran alleged on Sunday, accusing anti-Left forces and sections of the right-wing media of working together against the alliance.

Mr. Rajendran was inaugurating a two-day district-level party school organised by the CPI at the Teachers’ House Hall in Veliyannur, Thrissur. He said party workers should not fall into “a trap laid by opponents of the LDF.”

“An electoral defeat is not the end of anything,” he said, adding that the Left would return to the parliamentary arena with greater strength. He criticised those “attempting to deliver sweeping verdicts on the future of the Left based on a temporary electoral setback.”

Mr. Rajendran said the CPI would never allow the Left alliance to be weakened. Differences of opinion within the LDF, he said, could be resolved through discussions and collective consultation. The alliance, he added, had a leadership capable of addressing internal differences and moving forward with renewed strength.

On Achutha Menon

Mr. Rajendran also came out strongly in defence of former Chief Minister C. Achutha Menon, alleging that attempts were being made to undermine his legacy and portray him as corrupt. Achutha Menon, he said, was a strong Chief Minister who laid the foundation for building a modern Kerala. “Those who know historical facts will reject such attempts with contempt,” he said.

Kerala society should study Achutha Menon’s contributions and work towards effectively implementing the development vision for a new Kerala that he had envisaged, Mr. Rajendran added. CPI district secretary K.G. Sivanandan presided over the inaugural session.

The party school will continue on Monday with sessions led by CPI State council member T.K. Sudheesh and poet P.N. Gopikrishnan. CPI national council member and MLA K. Rajan is also scheduled to address the participants.