CPI-M suspends Kerala CM from politburo

CM Achuthanandan's rival Vijayan has also been suspended in a bid to end their unending public row, reports Sutirtho Patranobis.

The CPI(M) on Saturday suspended Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan and state unit chief Pinarayi Vijayan from the party politburo for criticising each other publicly through the media.

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But both would continue to hold their other positions, said party general secretary Prakash Karat while announcing the politburo resolution suspending the two. Karat told HT that this was the first instance of suspension from the politburo, CPI(M)’s day-to-day decision-making body.

Achuthanandan and Vijayan have been speaking against each other through media channels for months now. Recently, the chief minister told a television channel that someone senior in the Kerala CPI(M) hierarchy was leaking information to the media. Vijayan countered that in a separate interview by demanding that Achuthanandan name that person.

The politburo met in Delhi over the weekend to discuss, among other issues, the situation within the party in Kerala. Both Achuthanandan and Vijayan attended it. “These remarks and open criticism by the two senior leaders in Kerala have violated the norms of the party,” stated the politburo resolution. “The politburo concluded that such behaviour is unacceptable.”

The highest body of the party, the central committee, will decide when it meets in June whether the two should remain permanently suspended.