Thodupuzha: Senior CPM leader M.M. Mani has stepped back from his controversial comments on welfare pensions made in the aftermath of the local body election results, clarifying that his views fully align with the official position of the party. Acknowledging that his earlier remark was inappropriate, Mani said it was made in an emotionally charged moment and should not have been expressed in that manner.
Speaking to the media in Thodupuzha, Mani stated that he completely agrees with CPM General Secretary M.A. Baby’s response, which had distanced the party from the comment. “My stand is the same as that of the party. What I said yesterday was said under the pressure of the moment. The general secretary himself has clarified that such a response was not right, and I accept that,” Mani said, adding that there is no divergence between his position and the party line.
He stressed that no party leader had contacted him or pressured him to issue a clarification. Reiterating the Left’s record, Mani argued that despite undertaking extensive development work and implementing several welfare schemes, the LDF still faced an unfavourable electoral verdict. “That reaction came from the emotions of that situation,” he said, while reaffirming that the party has collectively acknowledged the remark as unnecessary.
Defending the LDF’s welfare initiatives, Mani compared them with the performance of previous non-LDF governments. He recalled that even during the tenures of leaders like Oommen Chandy, A.K. Antony, and K. Karunakaran, large sections of society existed whose rights and needs remained unaddressed. “Can anyone say that the kind of welfare measures carried out by LDF governments were implemented by earlier administrations?” he asked, adding that political work must always be guided by broader social perspectives.
Mani also launched a sharp attack on Leader of the Opposition V.D. Satheesan, describing him as the “lowest-quality opposition leader” Kerala has seen. He accused Satheesan of approaching issues in a flawed and highly subjective manner, suggesting that not all Congress leaders would agree with his style of opposition. However, Mani reiterated that the CPM has accepted the view that his earlier reaction was unwarranted.
The controversy erupted after Mani, reacting to the local body election outcome, made a remark implying that welfare pensions were being distributed in a way that offended voters. The statement was widely criticised as insulting to the electorate and beneficiaries of welfare schemes. In response, CPM General Secretary M.A. Baby publicly refuted the comment, asserting that it did not reflect the party’s position.
With Mani’s clarification, the CPM leadership appears keen to draw a line under the episode, emphasizing collective responsibility and sensitivity in public statements, especially in the wake of an electoral setback.