CPM allows Achuthanandan to contest Kerala assembly polls

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Bowing to cadre pressure, the CPM leadership has reversed the decision of its state secretariat and has allowed Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan to contest the assembly polls in Kerala. VS, as he is popularly known as, will seek re-election from Malampuzha, the constituency he represents.

"VS Achuthanandan will obviously be the team leader. He has always been part of the decision making process in our party," CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan told journalists while announcing the CPM candidates for the Kerala polls. Vijayan is VS' bete noire and the one responsible for initially denying him a ticket.

"Why do you have any doubts? Is it not very obvious that Achuthanandan would lead the election campaign. In our party, there is a process through which candidate selection is done. And no one ever said that he is not going to contest. Achuthanandan has also been part of the decision making process," Vijayan said.

As news spread of Achuthanandan's candidature, his supporters converted protests into victory processions throughout the state, including one in front of the CPM state headquarters.

Although CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat was present in the state secretariat meeting which had on Wednesday decided to deny him a ticket, some senior colleagues in the party's central leadership forced him to call an emergency Polit Bureau meeting to overrule the state secretariat's decision.

The state secretariat's decision on Wednesday triggered wide spread protests across the state. In 2006, too, Achuthanandan was denied an assembly ticket but following similar protests, the national leadership reversed its decision. VS led the Left Front's poll campaign and went on to become the Chief Minister.

The CPM Polit Bureau met on Thursday night and Friday morning in New Delhi before arriving at a decision to allow the Chief Minister to contest. The decision was conveyed to the Kerala state secretariat of the party when it met here Friday morning.

The decision is seen to be a setback to both Karat and Vijayan and a victory to VS, who has been running a relentless anti-corruption crusade in the recent weeks. His presence could make the electoral battle tough for the Congress-led United Democratic Front which expects to return to power.

Opposition leader Oommen Chandy dismissed the episode as political drama. "Did not the same thing happen in 2006? It has been repeated. It is immaterial to us if he contests or not, we are going to return to power for certain. All things in their party are their problem and we have nothing to do with it as it does not concern us," said Chandy. Achuthanandan had been silent ever since he was denied a ticket by the state secretariat. After the list of candidates was announced, he said he would abide by the party's decision.

CPI state secretary CK Chandrappan expressed happiness on hearing that Achuthanandan would be contesting.