Song and dance for a CPM 'God'. Pinarayi basks in the adulation

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday refused to disown a 'hallelujah' that would be sung for him during a function organised by the CPM-affiliated Kerala Secretariat Employees Association (KSEA) in Thiruvananthapuram on January 16. Instead, he saw in the criticism of such instances of hero worship as the expression of resentment by a frustrated media.

"When there is so much criticism against me, I know for sure that even a small amount of praise would cause serious heartache for you," he said with a contented chuckle during the post-Cabinet press briefing in Thiruvananthapuram on Wednesday, January 15. 

The KSEA plan is to have 100 of its women sing the paean in the Chief Minister’s presence. The song, written by KSEA member Poovathur Chithrasenan, begins by painting Pinarayi as a kind of war hero: "valorous commander-in-chief".

The song credits him with not just slaying Corona and Nipah and shielding Kerala from Biblical-scale natural disasters but also for ending feudalism in Kerala; a fan video once likened CPM leader P Jayarajan to P Krishna Pillai, one of the founding members of the Communist Party of India, and the man is yet to stand up after the sudden and massive internal backlash that swept him off the feet. 

In 2022, as part of the CPM's Thiruvananthapuram District Conference, a mass 'thiruvathira' had called Pinarayi "kaaranabhoothan" (the man who makes things happen). To realise that the lyricist of the ‘thiruvathira’ song actually meant God one only had to go back a year. In 2021, right after Pinarayi came back to power and without resorting to any flowery synonyms, Pinarayi was plainly called God. 

A tall flex board of a full-body triumphant-looking Pinarayi was placed, that too strategically, before a temple of Vishnu, the God of gods. The words on the board are clearly addressed to those who fume at attempts to idolise Pinarayi. "You asked who was God. And the people answered, the one who gives us food." And at the base of the flex, in a red block positioned right below Pinarayi's black-shoed feet, was the punchline: "Kerala's God".

At the post-Cabinet briefing the CM was asked why he, being the leader of a party like the CPM, did not disapprove of such idolatory. Pinarayi sounded amused at the question. 

Even here, like in the case of all allegations against him, he could see only a media conspiracy. In this case, it was not that the media was inventing stories against him but that the media was badly upset that good things were being said about him. 

"When there is huge hostility (against me), you find it difficult to understand the presence of someone who is not part of this animosity," Pinarayi said, as if suggesting that the 'phoenix' song and 'karanabhoothan' dance and the 'God' flex should be seen as fitting retorts to all the media barbs.

It seems like the cult of the leader has become as much part of the CPM ecosystem as its red colour. The KSEA song would call Pinarayi the "phoenix that rose from the ashes" but the CPM state secretary had long before identified a far more resplendent and powerful image for the CM: The Sun.

Last January, when he was asked why the central agencies left only Pinarayi Vijayan untouched among the non-BJP chief ministers, M V Govindan flared up. "Six or seven central agencies attempted to do all they could on the eve of the Assembly polls. But there was no way for them to reach anywhere near the Chief Minister. Pinarayi Vijayan represents purity in politics and his hands are unblemished. That's why they could not reach him. Not because they did not have the desire. Not because the BJP did not want to. Not because the UDF did not want to. But even if they so wished, he has positioned himself so far away from them like the sun. You can't reach him. You will burn," he said.

And like in all leadership cults, competition is crushed. In 2017, a 15-minute video that celebrated the then Kannur district secretary P Jayarajan went viral. A Kannur-based fans association called the Puracherry Grameena Kalavedi produced it.

There was massive outrage in the party, and Jayarajan eventually lost his throne; he was booted out as the Kannur district secretary and is still to regain his old pomp. Pinarayi, on the other hand, seems to grow in strength with each 'hallelujah' sung in his praise.