THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM politburo meeting which took place at the AKG Centre here on Thursday, deliberated in detail the current political situation in country, problems arising out of demonetisation drive and the forthcoming Assembly election in five states. Coming as it is a day after the announcement of polls in five states, the central leadership of the party held preliminary discussions on the polls and the strategy to be adopted.
Even though the party does not have a major stake in the poll bound states, it wants to consolidate the support base of Left and secular forces during the elections. The main campaign will be directed against the Modi -led Government at the Centre which was wreaking havoc with the lives of common man through decisions like demonetisation and also against its Fascist agenda. The politburo also discussed the broad agenda for the three-day central committee meet beginning at a five star hotel on Friday.
Apart from the national issues, the central committee will also hold discussions based on the tasks set by the party plenum. The PB commission report on internal affairs of the Kerala unit of CPM and V.S. Achuthanandan's actions are likely to come up for discussion. While a section of the party including Prakash Karat is believed to be in favour of taking action against the veteran leader on the basis of the PB commission report, the party general secretary is against any such move.
The meeting which began at 10 am at the AKG Centre went on till 8 pm with lunch and tea break in between. Ninety-two-year-old Achuthanandan had played a key role in bringing the LDF to power in the Assembly elections held in May last year addressing rallies across the length and breadth of the state. Moreover, the veteran leader has not resorted to any "anti party" activities. Under these circumstances, taking action against Achuthanandan could disturb the current unity in the party.
The question of disciplinary action against E P Jayarajan and P K Sreemathy on the issue of appointment of close relatives to plum poisitoins in PSUs, is likely to be taken up. Since both are central committee members, the charges against them have to be discussed in CC. After the PB meeting at the AKG Centre, the central leaders went to Cliff House for dinner.
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V.S. Achuthanandan shot off a letter to politburo on the eve of three-day central committee meeting urging the central leadership to launch nationwide agitation and campaign against anti-people policies of the Centre including demonetisation. The veteran leader reportedly sent the letter through his son V.A. Arun Kumar which was delivered at the AKG Centre just ahead of the CPM politburo meeting. The veteran has called for strengthening the organisational capabilities of the party to take up issues confronting the people.
Mr Achuthanandan said there was widespread resentment against the Centre across the country and the party should make use of the opportunity to rally masses against the Modi Government. He emphasized on strengthening the party in weak states. Back home, Mr Achuthanandan has been playing the role of constructive opposition raising issues of related to law and order, environment and corruption. Since LDF came to power in May 2015,the veteran has been critical of the Government on many counts including choice of chief minister's legal and financial advisors M.K. Damodaran and Gita Gopinath.
Mr Damodaran's appointment was opposed on the ground that he had appeared for Lottery King Santiago Martin who was banished from Kerala during the previous Achuthanandan government's tenure. Then he shot off a letter to central leadership against Gita Gopinath's appointment saying that it was against party's well stated position on neo liberal policies. However, the central and state leadership clarified that there was no deviation.
The veteran had launched a scathing attack on the police following the arrest of writer and human rights activist against whom anti terror sections and charges of treason were slapped. He even took on the cops on alleged encounter killings of two Maoists saying that the LDF Government should guard against police adopting the Jharkhand and Chattisgarh brand of anti Maoist operations.
Mr Achuthanandn had asked the government to rein in the cops who were acting with a Sangh Parivar mentality. Even on environment issues, the veteran has cautioned the government from time to time against giving clearance to resorts and housing complexes constructed illegally by reclaiming wetlands, paddy fields and in violation of Coastal Regulation Zone Act.
