Achuthanandan's sacked staff see CPI-M's humane face

Even though the CPI-M booted out three staff members of veteran party leader V.S. Achuthanandan from the party, forcing their exit from veteran leader's office, the trio is being allowed to continue working till May 30.

"The party has allowed that because they can then get the salary for the full month of May. We also have intimated the general administration department in the state secretariat that they will remain as staff till May 30," an office staffer told IANS on condition of anonymity.

On May 12, the party, in a series of meetings in Delhi, approved the sacking of the three - Achuthanandan's personal assistant and close aide A. Suresh, his press secretary K. Balakrishnan, and additional private secretary V.K. Sasidharan.

The three were sacked on grounds of indiscipline after they were found responsible for leaking classified information about the deliberations of the 2008 Coimbatore party congress to the media in February 2010.

Party guidelines provide for showing no mercy to those thrown out of the party; yet, many journalists were surprised to continue receiving press releases from Sasidharan's email id.

On Tuesday, a condolence message from Achuthanandan on the death of a former party colleague who passed away in Punjab came from Sasidharan's email id.

"They remain on the rolls till May 30, and hence, technically speaking, there is nothing wrong in sending an official press release of Achuthanandan from his (Sasidharan's) id," a top party functionary said.

However, soon after the decision to sack the three was taken, they have stopped appearing before the media, even though they have continued to work out of Achuthanandan's official residence.