Achuthanandan takes sacking of aides in his stride

The central leadership of the CPI-M had sacked three of his staff members but former Kerala chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan appeared to have taken it in his stride and Tuesday appeared for a party meeting after three months.

Taking many by surprise, Keralas's leader of opposition in the assembly, known for taking on the party, has not commented on the sacking of his personal assistant and his closest aide A. Suresh, his press secretary K. Balakrishnan and additional private secretary V.K. Sasidharan.

The three were sacked Sunday after they were found to be leaking classified information about the deliberations of the 2008 Coimbatore Party Congress to the media in February 2010.

Achuthanandan, who has kept away from meetings of the Communist Party of India-Marxist for three months, arrived on the dot for the four-day deliberations here Tuesday.

The top leadership, including national general secretary Prakash Karat, is meeting here.

Party sources said the national leadership is expected to take a tough stance on the differences between Achuthanandan and state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan and push for unity.

"I am deeply grieved that after being like a shadow to VS for the past 13 years, I can no longer be with him," Suresh told reporters.

"What is most intriguing is that in the last two central committee meetings of the party, the issue of ousting three of us was discussed. VS has been up in arms against the mafia...

"If the party believes they can tame VS through this type of acts, then they are living in a fool's paradise," he said.

He added that he had no plans to approach the party to reconsider its decision.