The Hindu Business Line : CPI(M) Polit Bureau suspends Kerala CM, Pinarayi Vijayan

Thiruvananthapuram May 26 The Kerala Chief Minister, Mr V.S. Achuthanandan, and the CPI(M) State Secretary, Mr Pinarayi Vijayan, were today suspended from the Polit Bureau of the party. The party veterans faced disciplinary action for airing their differences in public, particularly after the State Government's demolition drive in Munnar hill resort.

Signs of trouble within the party in the State were visible from the run-up to the Assembly elections, when the question of who should be projected as the Chief Minister candidate came up. After much deliberations and trouble-shooting by the Polit Bureau, the issue was settled in favour of Mr Achuthanandan.

At one point of time, both Mr Achuthanandan and Mr Vijayan were on the same side of the fence. The problems between them is said to have started after the party conference at Malappuram in 2004.

Divergent views

The situation aggravated on the question of admitting the Democratic Indira Congress (K), led by the veteran Congress leader and former Chief Minister, Mr K. Karunakaran, into the front. There were divergent views on the question of whether to accept the Asian Development Bank (ADB) loan for improving the civic conditions of the five corporation areas of the State.

Mr Achthanandan, however, had to fall in line with the majority opinion that favoured going in for the loan. The Polit Bureau also gave the green signal for the loan.

In the Smart City deal with the Dubai-based TECOM, Mr Achuthanandan continued in the same vein as when he was the Opposition leader, sticking to the demand for changes in the conditions. Though it appeared that he was single-handedly moving ahead, he clinched the deal and the popular perception is that the conditions in the agreement were mostly in the interest of the State.

The firm action against the encroachments in Munnar is another episode where there were divergent views on the selection of the officials who led the operations.

The Polit Bureau had intervened many a time to restore order and the latest action by it is seen as a clear message that the party is supreme, not individuals.