In Kerala,CM doubles up as Oppn leader

VS Achuthanandan takes on his party even if the Congress does not.

V S Achuthanandan is no stranger to the role of being in opposition. In 2002-06,as Leader of the Opposition in Kerala,he took up causes such as encroachment of forest land by powerful groups,sexual exploitation of girls by businessmen and politicians and corruption in governance,promising to correct all these if voted to power.

Five years since Kerala did vote him to power,the opposition in him remains. And it is his party the Chief Minister has been opposing. In some cases,his has been the lone voice against it,with the Congress preferring not to take up the issues he has.

Achuthanandan has been able,to an extent,to put a speedbreaker on the CPMs road to embracing private investment,though he has struggled in other campaigns. Not that VS is calling it quits yet. Only last week,he said his government would not spare robbers of public wealth and vowed to arrest and parade the culprits in sex rackets.

Story continues below this ad

One of his most recent moves was to write to the Centre seeking a CBI probe into the illegal sale of Bhutan and Sikkim lotteries in Kerala. The lottery department is managed by CPM central committee member and Finance Minister Thomas Isaac.

When former Chief Justice of India K G Balakrishnans son-in-law P V Sreenijan faced charges of amassing wealth,the CPM preferred to remain silent,amid reports that Balakrishnan as CJI had fast-tracked an appeal by party state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan in the Lavalin case. So did the Congress leadership,apparently because Sreenijan is a Youth Congress leader. It was Achuthanandan who acted after receiving a complaint; he ordered a Vigilance probe.

When reports said some NRI businessmen would corner a major stake in the proposed Kannur International Airport,VS stepped in again: The government will not allow sharks to take away the airport equity. With NRIs wielding some clout in state politics,even Congress leader Ommen Chandy had said his party would not take up the issue.

A year after becoming Chief Minister,Achuthanandan had locked horns with cabinet colleagues over local bodies getting ADB loans,and was censured for going public.When a number of proposals for special economic zones came up,Achuthanandan opposed what he saw as realty motives of investors and forced the government to lay down strict conditions. Once again,the Congress was silent. And mega projects worth Rs 18,500 crore had to be put into cold storage after VS questioned the investors motives.

Story continues below this ad

V S has cracked the whip on senior IAS and IPS officials who have the backing of his party as well as that of the Congress. After IGP Tomin J Thachankery went on a foreign trip without permission,V S ordered a probe that led to his suspension.

Achuthanandan has also taken on additional chief secretary T Balakrishnan,close to the CPMs official faction,besides being a son-in law of Congress leader R Balakrishna Pillai. Balakrishnan said the land reforms Act is outdated and only the wealthy should invest in the new airport. V S has since denounced him.