Headlines
Achuthanandan continues to breach discipline: CPI-M
Alappuzha (Kerala), Feb 19
A day ahead of the
CPI-M's crucial state conference to elect a new secretary of Kerala
unit, outgoing secretary Pinarayi Vijayan Thursday slammed his
arch-rival V.S. Achutanandan and said the latter continues to breach
party discipline.
In what could be his last press meet ahead of
laying down office after taking over as party state secretary way back
in 1998, Vijayan told reporters Thursday that a resolution to this
effect, pointing out that Achuthanandan continues to breach party
discipline, was cleared (ahead of the press meet) and was attended by
Achuthanandan too at the state secretariat meeting.
"Yes, this
resolution was passed in the presence of Achuthanandan too. He was not
there when the meeting began, but was present before it was passed
unanimously," said Vijayan.
He also thanked the media for the support extended to him since he took over as the secretary.
Incidentally,
this resolution is going to come before the party state conference that
begins here Friday and indications are that Achuthanandan, who was on
quite a few occasions was earlier pardoned, is unlikely to be spared
this time.
Vijayan told reporters that ahead of the conference,
the party held district conventions and everything went off very well,
even when there were issues of factionalism at very few places.
"Factionalism,
not long ago was an irritant, but now it is not, but what was discussed
at today's state secretariat meeting was a report published in
Malayala Manorama on the 18th of this month," said Vijayan.
"This
was a letter that Achuthanandan had written to the party early this
month. This was discussed by our state committee meeting of the party on
Feb 9th and 10th and all the allegations that was raised by him was
earlier discussed and dismissed as baseless," added Vijayan.
"The
letter that has appeared in Manorama on 18th again clearly shows he
continues to breach party discipline and has stooped very low," he said.
"In
2009, Achuthanandan was ousted from the politburo. When the murder of
T.P. Chandrasekheran took place, Achuthanandan again took a totally
different posture and had caused tough times for the party and here too
his letter to the party was leaked. For this he was publicly censured in
2012," said Vijayan.
Now all eyes are on the coming few days and
when a new secretary is going to be elected besides a new state
committee and secretariat.
It also remains to be seen if Achuthanandan will be booted out from the post of leader of opposition.
Since
Achuthanandan is a central committee member, the future of the
91-year-old former chief minister will be decided by the central
committee and the politburo.
Reacting to the new development, Achuthanandan said that he dismisses all what Vijayan has said.
"I
heard that he has said some things about me and the rules in the party
are quite clear that no action can be taken on the eve of a party state
conference," Achutanandan said.
"I had written to the party
politburo about certain things and I have yet to hear from them. I am
waiting to hear from them and then I will decide," he said.