Vijayan denies complaining against Achuthanandan

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Pinarayi Vijayan, Kerala secretary of the Communist Party of India-Marxist(CPI-M), on Saturday denied reports that the state unit had complained to the party against former chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan for alleged violation of party discipline.

"We have not complained to the central committee against Achuthanandan for visiting the house of Berlin Kunhananadan Nair,” said Vijayan to reporters here. Achuthanandan last month paid an unscheduled visit to Nair, ousted from the party in 2008. He later told Nair that since he was asked by the party not to visit him he is unable to have food, but will have a glass of water.

“The news that we have complained against Achuthanandan to the party is nothing but a creation of the media. I wish to state that it is unfortunate that in a party like ours, certain things are getting leaked to the media and the media need not take credit for it," said Vijayan. Media reports on Saturday said the committee and the state secretariat of the party that met in Thiruvananthapuram for two days came down heavily on Achuthanandan. CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat said in Kozhikode: "It was only on Friday that the various meetings of the party got over and I am not aware of the outcome. If there are any complaints, the party will look into it.” Vijayan had also written in the party mouthpiece that the visit was not in good taste.

Achuthanandan, 87, leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly, has not had the best of relations with Vijayan and this worsened just ahead of the assembly polls in April when he was initially denied a party ticket to contest. He remains suspended from the party politburo since 2009.