The CPI-M’s choice of Kannur for the theme park is interesting. This is the hotbed of violence between the CPI-M and the Sangh Parivar outfits, where divisions along party lines are carved in blood. Over the last three decades, more than 200 lives have been lost to the political violence. Kannur is where entire villages are split along party lines and Parassinikkadavu, where the water park has come up, is a “CPI-M village” 16 km from the district centre. Any action that strays from the party line isn’t tolerated—not even a visit to a theme park owned by the rival party. It’s all about party loyalties. So it wasn’t surprising that the 60-year-old in the white mundu had paid Rs 300 simply to take a walk in the “party park”.

Krishnadas, a CPI-M worker from Marad in Kozhikode district, where eight people were hacked to death in 2003, is here because he felt obliged to “do something for the party”.
“This is a party venture. I found it my duty to make the park successful. The party has to shell out a huge amount to run the park. I have brought with me a group of people from Marad to the park. I am doing my bit to keep the park alive,” he said, keeping an eye on his 17-member team.
But Krishnadas looked worried at the poor turnout. “Let us hope it will get better in the coming days,” he said. Several rides, like the sky train and the Ferris wheel, stood still because there weren’t enough joyriders. A waterfall came to life only when a group rushed to the tumbling bay.

... contd.