CPM top brass mulls action against V S Achuthanandan

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The two-day meeting of the CPM state secretariat on Tuesday and Wednesday will decide the fate of truant leader V S Achuthanandan. CPM general secretary Prakash Karat and PB member S Ramachandran Pillai will attend the meeting.
Party sources said the secretariat meeting is likely to recommend strong disciplinary action against VS, who is also the opposition leader in the assembly.VS will be tried in the meeting for two counts - first, for equating state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan with Dange and levelling open criticism against his style functioning and second, for putting the party in deep trouble by paying a visit to the house of slain CPM rebel T P Chandrasekharan on the day of Neyyattinkara bypoll.
It is learnt that the majority in the secretariat who are close to Vijayan wants suspension or demotion of VS from all elected positions. However, the central leadership and those having a neutral stand in the state want to settle the issue by initiating lighter actions. "Had it been the criticism against the secretary only, there would have been a good chance of VS getting a lighter punishment. But, things went upside down with Saturday's visit to Onchiyam,"said a senior CPM leader.
While addressing a regional meeting of CPM functionaries in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, Vijayan said all of them have been implicated in a false case. "They have been nabbed by the police team on a conspiracy charges and that too of a conspiracy happened two years ago. The Police haven't collected any evidence to link the party to the murder case till now," he reportedly told party functionaries from Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Pathanamthitta districts.
The secretariat meeting will also look into the controversial speech made by CPM Idukki district secretary M M Mani. Vijayan indicated that there would be action against Mani. "Mani's act has put the party in deep trouble. We will discuss it and take appropriate action," he was quoted by sources who attended the meeting.
The secretariat meeting may also finalise disciplinary action against Mani and all indications are that he will be relived of the duty as the district secretary and likely to be demoted from the district committee.
It is learnt that the majority in the secretariat who are close to Vijayan wants suspension or demotion of VS from all elected positions.