CPI-M politburo suspended Kerela CM and Secretary

NI Wire

New Delhi

Sat, 26 May 2007:  May 26: First of its kind in the political history of the country, Communist Party of India â?? Marxist (CPI-M) send strong signals across party cadres by suspending Kerala chief minister V S Achuthanandan and partyâ??s state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan from the highest policy making body for their public spat iniolation of party norms.

Party took the harsh decision just days after two party veterans aired their criticism of each other in public. The criticism came in the wake of governmentâ??s demolition drive in the Munnar hill resort.

By suspending the two veterans CPI-M has sent a strong signal that it will not tolerate factionalism. Politburo, partyâ??s highest decision taking party, took serious note of the deteriorating situation within the faction ridden state unit of the party.

However, both leaders will continue to be chief minister and state secretary respectively.

From time and again CPI-M has stressed on the maintenance of discipline within the party and among the cadres. Last time when any party leader openly criticized a fellow leader was the criticism of chief minister of west Bengal Buddhadeb Bhattacharya by party patriarch Jyoti Basu in the wake of Singur controversy.

While announcing the suspension of the two leaders, CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat said the open criticism by the two senior leaders have violated the norms of the party and the clear directive of the politburo and the central committee that the state party leadership should not air their differences publicly.