CPI(M) keeps VS out from state committee

This may be an end to the veteran leader's era in the party that lasted 75 years

The state conference of the Kerala unit of CPI(M) today decided to omit VS Achuthanandan,  Opposition leader and senior most leader of  the party, from the  state committee.

The conference  unanimously approved the 88-member panel of the committee,  piloted by the state secretariat. It is reported that the central leadership of the party had asked the state unit to include VS in the panel, but the latter rejected this, saying he had boycotted the conference and humiliated the party in the public.

The official faction, which  succeeded in omitting him from the state committee, is  now targeting to oust from the central committee (CC). As VS is 91 years old, the official faction may raise age factor to oust him from the CC.  This may be an end to VS era that lasted 75 years in the party.

Kodiyeri new secretary
Meanwhile, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, former home minister, has been unanimously elected  as new secretary of the state unit to succeed Pinarayi Vijayan. Kodiyeri is the 8th secretary of the party in Kerala. Politburo member MA Baby has been kept out of the state committee as he is part of the central leadership in New Delhi. Kodiyeri came to politics through Students Federation of India (SFU),  CPI(M)’s students wing, in 1970. He was imprisoned for 16 months under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) Act during the internal emergency period. Kodiyeri represents the Thalassery constituency in the Kerala Assembly and was also elected  in 1982, 1987, 2001 and 2006 from the same constituency.

VS boycotted rally
Despite party general secretary Prakash Karat’s instructions, Achuthanandan did not attend the public rally convened at Alappuzha as part of the state conference.

However, in a press note, issued today, Achuthanandan lauded the party’s decision to freeze a part of  the review report, which severely  criticises him and expressed his hope of removing the rest of the portion, which was critical about him. He also said two party workers, who had been sentenced by the court in the TP Chandrasekharan murder case, should be removed from the party.

He made it clear in the press note that he had  boycotted the  state conference because he was dubbed as an anti-party crusader. He said he was unable to return to Alappuzha since the status still remained.  Earlier, CPI(M) state secretariat in a resolution said Achuthanandan has the mindset of an anti-Communist and acted like an enemy of the working class whenever the party faced serious political crisis.

This resolution and a follow-on press conference by state secretary Vijayan had irked Achuthanandan and he openly revolted against the move. Later, on Saturday,  he boycotted the state conference and returned to Thiruvananthapuram. There were reports that he would resign as Opposition leader.

Describing his situation as ‘helpless’, he said he had conveyed this to Karat.