Former Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan is understood to have written to the Central leadership of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) questioning the appointment of Harvard professor Gita Gopinath as Economic Adviser to the Chief Minister.
In his letter, Mr. Achuthanandan has reportedly pointed out that Prof. Gopinath’s positions on key economic questions are neoliberal and quite at odds with those of the CPI(M) and Left.
‘Neoliberal agenda’ He has cited Prof. Gopinath’s support for the economic policies pursued by the last United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government and her endorsement of the key decisions taken by the Narendra Modi government as instances of neo-liberal economic agenda.
Significantly, he has also reminded the party leadership about the party’s rejection of the tactical line adopted by the CPI(M) in the Bengal Assembly elections, which involved aligning with the Congress to fight the Trinamool Congress.
The implication appeared to be that if the party could not accept any tie-up with the Congress, it should not also accept a major deviation from its economic policies. Mr. Achuthanandan has written the letter on the eve of the CPI(M) Polit Bureau meeting in New Delhi on Friday.
It is as yet not clear whether the CPI(M) Polit Bureau would discuss Mr. Achuthanandan’s letter.
Prominent Left wing economist Prabhat Patnaik recently came out strongly against Prof. Gopinath’s appointment and cautioned the CPI(M) against parroting the development slogans of the kind that Prime Minister Narendra Modi raised.
