THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: All eyes are fixed on Mr V.S. Achuthanandan who looked detached at the press meet in which Mr Pinarayi Vijayan’s name was announced as the CM. He convened a press meet on Saturday in which he will express his views. Those close to him say he has almost reconciled to the decision and a dramatic response from his side looks remote.
By ensuring the presence of V.S. Achuthanandan while announcing Pinarayi Vijayan as the party’s choice for the Chief Minister’s post, the CPM general secretary sent out a message that the veteran leader was on board and speculations to the contrary were far-fetched.
Sources said Mr Achuthanandan had conveyed his willingness to take up Chief Ministership if the party decided so. In fact all through the election campaign he had expressed similar views saying he was not averse to taking up the top job.
Mr Yechury reportedly conveyed the veteran leader’s willingness before the state secretariat meeting. However, the secretariat unanimously proposed the name of Pinarayi Vijayan and the central leaders including Mr Yechury and Mr Prakash Karat endorsed it.
The central leadership is learnt to have apprised Mr Achuthanandan of the thinking in the party regarding chief minister ship ahead of the meeting.
Sources said if a section of leadership including Mr Yechury had proposed Achuthanandan’s name, the proposal would have been put to vote in the secretariat and in the state committee. Considering Mr Pinarayi’s complete control over party state unit, the possibility of a different outcome would have been impossible.
With the state secretariat and state committee unanimously deciding on Mr Pinarayi, there was no scope for discussion on any other choice. The veteran leader has reportedly rejected any offer for a Cabinet rank position. Mr Achuthanandan is planning to leave for his home town Alappuzha within two days.
