After snubbing Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan a day back, CPI(M) state secretariat member T. Sivadasa Menon on Monday changed tack and touted him as the next Chief Minister of the Left Democratic Front government.
Mr Menon had said on Sunday that Mr Achuthanandan had told the CPI(M) state committee that his health did not permit him to contest, even as the latter was steadfastly denying it in a series of interviews.
The senior CPI(M) leader also struck an insolent note and said that though he respected Mr Achuthanandan, he “would not be servile to anyone”.
However, it was a different scenario when Mr Menon who spoke at the LDF Malampuzha constituency convention here on Monday.
He stood steadily behind Mr Achuthanandan and showed no hesitation in showering encomiums on the Chief Minister.
“He is our undisputed leader,” said Mr Menon, adding, “A government will be formed after the elections on April 13.”
Mr Menon, who is in charge of the election campaign in the district, exhorted the LDF workers to ensure that VS is returned from the constituency with a record margin.
“It will be such a huge margin that everyone will be stunned,” he said.
Mr Menon presented a long list of Mr Achuthanandan’s achievements as the Opposition leader and as Chief Minister, even as the veteran leader sat silently.