Resolution against VS stands, says Pinarayi

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPI(M) senior leader and politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan on Wednesday said the resolution passed against veteran VS Achuthanandan last year was still in place, exposing chinks in the party.

Vijayan, who is contesting from Dharmadam in Kannur, said there’s no connection between Achuthanandan’s candidature for the May 16 Kerala Assembly polls and party’s stand against him. “VS became a candidate not by choice. It was a party decision. His candidature has no connection with the stance against him,” Vijayan said.

Last year, party state committee passed a resolution against the 93-year old state Opposition leader calling him ‘a factionalist who has an anti-party mindset’. The leader walked out after almost all state committee members had turned against him. Later, the resolution was read out at a press meet.

Achuthanandan, a candidate from Malampuzha in Palakkad, is yet to react to the statement.

However, Congress and BJP asked Vijayan to not contest the election. “How can a renegade who was humiliated at the party meet contest the election?” said BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan.

After his words raked up a controversy, Pinarayi retracted his statement blaming the media for twisting his words. “The party is fighting the poll as a united force. Some people want to create a rift so they are twisting my words to serve their purpose,” he said.

To prevent a split in the party before polls, the leadership decided to delay a decision on the chief minister’s post until after polls. However, a faction is in favour of making Vijayan the next chief minister if LDF comes to power.