VS Achuthanandan rejects Prakash Karat ultimatum to return to conference
Thiruvananthapuram: Minutes after CPM General Secretary Prakash Karat telephoned V. S. Achuthanandan serving him an ultimatum to return to the conference venue which he had left in a huff on Saturday, the veteran leader bluntly rejected his directive and instead decided to hold a press conference at 11 am here on Monday to explain his side of the story.
Sources close to him said he would not quit as Opposition Leader on the day since he had got assurance from the PB and CC that all issues would be discussed. At the presser, he is expected to explain why he walked out of the conference venue.
Though by rejecting Mr Karat's appeal he has dared the CPM leadership to take action against him, the party is unlikely to take any decision in haste. But the veteran leader is keeping all options open including quitting Opposition Leader's post, though it may not happen soon.
Earlier in the day, the available PB met in Alappuzha and decided not to allow any factional and destructive activities within the organisation.
The PB made it clear that "in CPM no one was above the party, all party members have to work as per the constitution which is applicable to each member, allowing such disruptive activities will only wreck the organisation. "
“No bargaining will be allowed. Let him return to conference venue, contact party leadership and discuss the issues. Staying away will not help solve the problems. CPM is not ready for bargaining with anyone. The party general secretary has the right to tell a CC member to attend the conference,” said Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.
For the first time, the party also gave a detailed official account of the events that happened in the run up to the conference. It all started with the state secretariat preparing the draft report for the conference. While views of each member were sought, there was no criticism at that stage. But when the draft was presented in state committee, Achuthanandan came out with divergent views.
Achuthanandan even sent a note to secretariat. The secretariat met again, discussed the note and rejected it since the issues raised had been earlier discussed and settled by the central committee and the PB.
VS demanded that the note be read out in the state committee which was accepted. The state panel discussed all issues including the secretariat decision to reject the note, and unanimously finalised the report which was presented at the conference.
Subsequently, VS wrote a letter to politburo and general secretary demanding that certain references made in the report against him should be deleted. Karat spoke to him directly, told that he was attending Tamil Nadu state conference and had not seen the letter or the report.
After examining the report if I find that the issues raised by you figure in tha, then I will intervene,” he said. Karat said;“If there are any issues raised in the letter, I will discuss when I come to Kerala."
On Saturday, VS sought to know from Karat about what all India leadership had done about his letter. The party general secretary said since all PB members were not present, the available members will discuss and take a decision. But let the discussion happen on the report.
When the reply of state secretary is finalised in the steering committee of which Achuthanandan is also a member, PB members will also meet and discuss about the changes sought by him and take a decision at that stage.
But Achuthanandan complained that the letter sent by him to PB had appeared in a newspaper following which the secretariat had taken disciplinary action against him. Karat clarified that the secretariat had not taken any such action.
He was told that all these issues could be raised at the meeting after the discussions and all eight PB members will take a call. But at 11.15 am he told Karat that he was leaving and had not returned till Sunday.
