VS isolated,asked to quit

Sensing that Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan has been deserted by his own camp before the crucial Politburo meeting to discuss the SNC Lavalin scandal...

Sensing that Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan has been deserted by his own camp before the crucial Politburo meeting to discuss the SNC Lavalin scandal,the CPIM official faction on Tuesday openly demanded that the veteran leader,one of the founding members of the party in the state,quit the party if he thought the Constitution was above party policy.

On the Lavalin case,in which CBI has named Politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan as an accused,Achuthanandan had said that as he was sworn in to protect the Constitution,he would neither criticise the court nor the CBI probe,done under the vigil of the judiciary.

On Tuesday,senior party leader M M Lawrence said anyone who considered the Constitution above the CPIM policy would have no other option,but to leave the party. In the CPIM,nobody has the freedom to act on his own. Moral principles lie in protecting the party,not in wrecking it, he said. Another Pinarayi loyalist and minister,G Sudhakaran,said those who fail to stand with the party would be thrown out of the ministry. Denouncing the party line is the real violation of the Constitution.

His three nominees in the state cabinetS Sharma,M Vijayakumar and P K Gurudasanhave also toed the Pinarayi line in the case. Sharma,the second in command in the VS group,had said the case was politically motivated. Vijayakumar and Gurudasan too have hummed the Politburo tune.

With the Politburo meeting on February 14,an impression is gaining ground in the party that Achuthanandan is waging a loosing battle this time.

Shaju Philip

Shaju Philip is a Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, where he leads the publication's coverage from Kerala. With over 25 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is one of the most authoritative voices on the socio-political, religious, and developmental landscape of South India. Expertise, Experience, and Authority Decades of Regional Specialization: Shaju has spent more than two decades documenting the "Kerala Model" of development, its complex communal dynamics, and its high-stakes political environment. Key Coverage Beats: His extensive reporting portfolio includes: Political & Governance Analysis: In-depth tracking of the LDF and UDF coalitions, the growth of the BJP in the state, and the intricate workings of the Kerala administration. Crime & Investigative Journalism: Noted for his coverage of high-profile cases such as the gold smuggling probe, political killings, and the state’s counter-terrorism efforts regarding radicalization modules. Crisis Management: He has led ground-level reporting during major regional crises, including the devastating 2018 floods, the Nipah virus outbreaks, and the Covid-19 pandemic response. ... Read More