Kerala: CPM delays decision on who should be its CM choice

Differences force second politburo meeting, indications they may look beyond Achutanandan, Vijayan

Differences on who should be the CPM8217;s chief ministerial candidate for the Kerala polls forced a second meeting of the party politburo this afternoon but there were indications that the party was now looking beyond both V S Achutanandan and Pinarayi Vijayan.

The final decision on the issue will be taken after the state committee meets from March 14-16, at which general secretary Prakash Karat and politburo member S Ramachandran Pillai will be present.

Sunday8217;s politburo meeting came after the central committee had met for two days, preceded by a politburo meeting on Friday.

Sources said the resolution of the leadership issue could be a 8220;big surprise8221;. LDF convener Paloli Mohammad Kutty, who is close to Vijayan, is said to be a contender. However, politburo and central committee members were tight-lipped on the issue, saying the final decision would be announced only after the Kerala state committee meeting.

The politburo8217;s reluctance to impose a decision on the state committee stems from its experience on the Karunakaran issue, when the party politburo at its meeting in Kolkata last month took the decision not to ally with the former Congressman8217;s DICK, which the Kerala unit had no choice but to endorse.

Today, Kerala members on the CPM central committee, most of them Pinarayi acolytes, criticised that decision, saying it was likely to have a bearing on party chances in the polls.

The politburo, that drew out the party8217;s election strategy for the coming polls in four states and Pondicherry, has planned to make the Iran issue an important part of the poll campaign. The CPM hopes to get a positive response from the electorate for its stand on the issue, especially in Kerala.

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The CPM, meanwhile, has finalised its tie-up with Brindaban Goswami8217;s Asom Gana Parishad to forge a non-BJP, non-Congress alliance in Assam. In Tamil Nadu, it has already finalised seat sharing with the DMK-led alliance that also comprises the Congress and the CPI, and will put up candidates in 13 constituencies.