In a repeat of 2006, the CPM central leadership today forced its Kerala unit to reverse its decision — ironically taken in the presence of General Secretary Prakash Karat himself on Wednesday —to deny V S Achuthanandan a ticket to contest the April 13 Assembly polls.
The decision of the state unit not to field Achuthanandan came up for discussion at a meeting of seven available Politburo members here. Sources said the overwhelming view of the members was that the veteran should contest. The meeting was convened after several PB members expressed their strong objection to the state unit’s decision.
Sources said all the PB members were contacted over phone and their views sought. Given the majority view was in favour of fielding Achuthanandan, the suggestion was then conveyed to the Kerala leadership. A meeting of the state secretariat was in session when the central leadership’s view was conveyed to the state leaders.
Within an hour, state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan announced the list of candidates in Thiruvananthapuram. Vijayan read out the names of CPM candidates nonchalantly and among them was his arch rival Achuthanandan, who would be fielded from Malampuzha from where he had won last time. When asked who would lead the party in the polls, Vijayan said: “Achuthanandan is an undisputed leader. Your question has no relevance.”
Although the denial of a ticket to Achuthanandan did not trigger protests on the scale witnessed five years ago, it had led to sporadic demonstrations and created unease among a section of the PB members who had begun rearguard action on Thursday to get the decision reversed.
The PB had earlier this month resolved not to take a call on the candidature of Achuthanandan and leave the decision to the state unit. Top sources said there was, however, an informal understanding that while it should not impose its view, the central representatives — Karat and S R Pillai — should intervene if there was a difference of opinion and suggest that Achuthanandan should contest.
Party leaders said several members of the state committee and secretariat had suggested that Achuthanandan should be fielded but their views were ignored. In today’s as well as yesterday’s meeting of the available PB, some of the members raised this point and vociferously argued that fielding Achuthanandan was in the party’s interest. Among those who favoured Achuthanandan’s candidature were Sitaram Yechury, Brinda Karat and M K Pandhe.
No comments:
Post a Comment