Thiruvananthapuram: The massive show of strength by CPM at the EMS stadium in Alappuzha on the concluding day of 21st state conference on Monday may have reinforced the party's organisational strength, but the sombre faces of top leaders, including general secretary Prakash Karat, hinted something was amiss.
The absence of CPM's most popular face, V.S. Achuthanandan at the venue, clearly came as a shocker for the party rank and file. Mr Karat, politburo member Sitaram Yechury, Mr Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and a host of other leaders made last-ditch attempts to convince Mr Achuthanandan since Saturday to return to the venue.
They even held out promises to hear him sympathetically. There were reports that he might climb down from his strident position and attend the public meet.
But putting all speculations to rest at 10.30 a.m, Mr Achuthandnan issued a statement. “I understand certain baseless remarks made against me in the working report have been removed. So far so good. I hope PB will delete the rest of the adverse references after examining the report,” it said.
The Opposition Leader refused to budge from his stand on the TPC murder case. “The court had found three party members guilty of TPC murder. I have been constantly demanding action against them.
Action was initiated against one of them following central leadership's intervention. However, action has not been taken against the other two and they have also been given pride of place in party committees. They should be removed immediately from the party and the bad name to the party should be cleared,” he said.
On his refusal to return to Alappuzha, Mr Achuthanandan said, " A secretariat resolution that brands me as anti-party is still there. Under these circumstances, it would not be appropriate for me to attend the conference. That situation till continues."
He said he had officially intimated the party general secretary about his inability to attend the conference on Monday.
While Mr Achuthanandan was eased out of the 88- member state committee, one seat was left vacant indicating that it was ready to accommodate the veteran leader if he fell in line.
The new state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishan maintained that as central committee member, Mr Achuthanandan could attend any committee meeting. He said the party would be considerate in dealing with him as he continued to remain one of the tallest leaders of the CPM. "We have an open stand towards them, we want to keep everyone with the party," he said.
He refuted Mr Achuthanandan's charge that the secretariat resolution had termed him as "anti party ." "It only referred to the anti-party mindset," he said.
But he reiterated that everyone has to abide by party discipline and no one was above the party, clearly indicating that the leadership at least wants to sound tough.
Party sources, however, said that the discussions with Mr Achuthanandan would continue and the organisational issues raised by him would figure at the 21st party congress and the subsequent plenum.
