Achuthanandan slams party leadership for failing to work policies

Veteran CPI-M leader V.S. Achuthanandan, in a note, has slammed the state and national leadership of his party by saying that the political strategy adopted by it was fine but it fell apart when the implementation was effected.

In the note, circulated to all central committee members of his party, he has come down heavily in the manner in which the party has been run both at the national level and in Kerala. The note has reached the media too.

In the crucial central committee meeting of the party in Delhi, the differences of opinion over the draft review have crept in, with party general secretary Prakash Karat and his politburo colleague Sitaram Yechury treading different paths.

Over the last few years, Achuthanandan has been up in arms against the state leadership led by state party secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, who on numerous occasions wanted the national leadership to take strict action against the veteran for these frequent outbursts and indiscipline.

In his note, the former chief minister who turned 91 last week said that his party had come to a stage where the sword of discipline was being wielded to contain people who speak out and if this continues, there will be none left in the party.

Achuthanandan was Kerala chief minister (2006-11) when he and Vijayan were removed from the politburo. While Vijayan was taken back, the veteran still has not been.

Achuthanandan pointed out that his party could have made considerable gains during the recent Lok Sabha polls. But the Congress, which crumbled across the country, managed to hold on in Kerala because of wrong candidate selection by the Left in Kerala.

He also blamed the state leadership of his party for their wrong deeds and actions that saw the Left Democratic Front here losing two crucial allies -- JD-S in 2009 and the RSP ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in 2014.

When asked about his letter, Achuthanandan Tuesday said in Delhi that in his party everything will be discussed.

It remains to be seen when the draft political review comes out Wednesday, if the the issues raised by him have been addressed, as the document now forms the basis of discussions at all levels of the party which gets ready to hold its 21st Party Congress in April next year in Visakhapatnam.