VS controlled by coterie: pvt secy

The prime target of the attack was Achuthanandan’s former additional secretary K Sureshkumar, who had led the Munnar mission last year. Later, he was removed from the CM Office at the behest of the rival faction led by party state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan. It is learnt that the CM’s political secretary K N Balagopal too had distanced himself from VS, sensing that the Politburo member has been waging a loosing battle.

Rajendran said the coterie had driven the Government into many embarrassing occasions in the past. The latest one, according to him, was the controversy related to Achuthanandan’s insulting remarks on the family of slain NSG hero Sandeep Unnikrishnan. The development in Sandeep’s house in Bangalore was an outcome of Achuthanandan’s failure to take his office into confidence. Despite this, VS was reluctant to offer an apology. In the state assembly, VS did not read out the apology as dictated by the party.

Recently, VS had taken his kitchen cabinet to Munnar where he wanted to resume the eviction drive. The group had camped there, finalising the eviction strategy, even bypassing the government officials and party machinery. This had also irked the Pinarayi faction.

Meanwhile, the state committee on Saturday came down heavily on VS for the much-trumpeted Munnar mission. The party-appointed team, headed by Central Committee member Vaikkam Vishwan, found the Munnar drive had damaged the party as VS failed to consider the sentiments of the party in Idukki district. The report said the Munnar operation had antagonised the farmers. Even small farmers who had genuine land documents were served notice for eviction.

Party sources said the rival faction has geared up for a final assault on VS, fearing that Pinarayi would figure in the CBI report on the SNC Lavlin case, a multi-crore scam related to the renovation of three power projects in Kerala.

“There is panic in the Pinarayi camp. If he happens to quit the post of the party secretary in the wake of the CBI report, the demand for VS’s removal could also be raised. The fresh bout of attack was aimed at preparing the stage for charge-sheeting VS and ensuring his removal,” sources close to the CM said.