V. S. Achuthaandan dear leader, not class traitor: Karat

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The CPI (M) Politburo came to the rescue of opposition leader V. S. Achuthaandan on Thursday, freezing the portions of the party organizational report which were highly critical of him.

The dramatic development, perhaps the first of its kind in the history of the CPI(M), took place when party general secretary Prakash Karat rose to reply on the organizational issues. Karat said Achuthanandan could not be called a ‘class traitor’ and added that he was the dear leader of the people and party workers in the state.

He, however, hoped that the veteran leader would rectify the mistakes and continue to be the leader of the party.

The conference unanimously approved the report subject to the scrutiny, by the central leadership, of the portions that were highly critical of Achuthanandan.

The party general secretary said the state unit of the party was strong and it should move forward keeping aside all differences. Being one of the strongest organisations, the CPI(M) state unit also had the responsibility to help the party organisation at the national level, he added.

Replying to the discussions on the organizational report, Pinarayi VIjayan said that the party required VS Achuthanandan and that’s why the party had asked him to rectify his mistakes. The conference is also learnt to have removed certain portions from the report which were highly criticial of Achuthanadan.

The politburo intervened in the matter following Achuthanandan’s complaint against the organisational report.

Party sources said the central leadership was of the view that since a majority of the charges leveled against Achuthanandan had already been discussed and even disciplinary action initiated against him, there was no need to rake up these issues all over again.

The central leadership, they say, was also upset over the language used in the report. Moreover, the report was not appropriate and it was in serious violation of the guidelines issued by the central leadership regarding the conduct of the conferences at various levels, the sources said.

Earlier in the day, the DYFI came in for severe criticism from a section of the delegates who said the youth organisation had become weak.

The agitations of the youth wing were more suited to TV cameras and had failed to rally the people behind them, they felt.

On Friday, the conference will elect the new state committee before it concludes with a red volunteer march and public meeting.