THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Despite central leadership’s proposal to field Opposition Leader V S Achuthanandan in the forthcoming Assembly polls, the state secretariat could not reach a final decision on the issue at its meeting on Tuesday which discussed several formulae.
The issue will be discussed in detail at the state committee beginning on Wednesday. Earlier, CPM general secretary Sitaram Yechury who attended the secretariat meeting had summoned Achuthanandna to AKG Centre to elicit his views on his candidature.
The veteran leader reportedly told Yechury that he would convey his opinion after hearing the views of the state leadership. “But they are not saying anything,” Achuthanadnan is believed to have told Yechury when the latter said the central leadership wanted him to contest the polls.
While Achuthanandna left AKG Centre after the meeting, Yechury and the secretariat members continued its discussions on his candidature and other poll related issues.
With the CPM facing huge setback in West Bengal and many other places, the leadership is not prepared to take Kerala elections lightly. The party believes that BJP led Government and Sangh Parivar have stepped up their fascist model attacks on the Left parties across the country and the onslaught is only going to increase in the coming days.
It is in this backdrop that the CPM leadership is desperate to win Kerala and make an attempt to dislodge the Trinamool Congress in West Bengal by joining hands with all democratic parties including Congress.
The central leadership is very particular about not allowing a repeat of 2006 and 2011 polls when there was huge confusion related to Achuthanandan’s candidature.
The veteran leader on his part, has in the past made it clear that he would contest if the party wished so. According to him the ball is in the state leadership’s court.
The CPM is also exploring various formulae including having both Pinarayi Vijayan and Achuthanandan in the electoral fray. While the party says the chief minister issue could be resolved once the LDF wins a majority, there is a section of leaders who want some clarity before the polls.
