The Kerala CPM is now dealing with a tough question: Should veteran CPI(M) leader VS Achuthanandan contest in the assembly polls? With the leader himself having expressed interest in contesting and the central leadership also suggesting it, some of the state leaders are reportedly not very happy with VS’s candidature. So the main question is if VS and CPI(M) politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan should contest together.
The Times of India reports that the party state secretariat met in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday in the presence of general secretary Sitaram Yechury, but couldn’t arrive at a decision.
The CPI(M) secretariat is scheduled to meet on 11 and 12 March, followed by the state committee meeting on 13 March, and by then it is likely to have a proper list of candidates in all constituencies.
Meanwhile VS has told media that he would act according to the state party secretariat and that if there is a clash he would not contest.
According to an The Times of India report, though Yechury presented the issue in the secretariat meeting held later, the state leadership preferred to know the sentiments of district committees too before taking a stand.
As per the report, the state party secretariat members will attend the district committee meetings in the coming days and and the issue will be discussed. A decision will be taken only after getting the sentiments of workers at the grassroot level. It is reported that majority of state secretariat members would like to field Achuthanandan as the leader of the election campaign and assign the leadership to Pinarayi Vijayan.
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