CPM puts gag on VS Achuthanandan, other leaders

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CPM general secretary, Prakash Karat, on Monday asked Kerala Opposition leader V.S. Achuthanandan and other party leaders in the state not to make any public statement critical of the party’s stands.

Karat’s call comes a day after the CPM central committee decided not to take any hasty action to settle the factional feud within the party’s Kerala unit, even as Achuthanandan has begun to project himself as ‘a party within the party’ for some time.

Briefing the media about the two-day CC meeting, Karat said the party would “enquire in its own internal way” whether any partymen had been involved in the murder of rebel leader TP Chandrasekharan.

He accused the UDF government of waging a “concerted propaganda campaign” against the CPM in connection with the TPC murder.

“We will take strong action if any of our member is found involved (in the TPC murder). Such people will not find a place in the party,” Karat said.

He added that, as of now, the police investigation was sought to be influenced by the government and the ruling front.

On the factional feud in Kerala, Karat said the CC had asked the CPM state committee to discuss “all issues that emerged in the last one month” at its next meeting. Some politburo members would also be present at the meeting.

“On the basis of it, we will come to some conclusions,” he said.