Headlines
'Achuthanandan wants to quit as leader of opposition'
Alappuzha (Kerala), Feb 21
Former Kerala chief
minister V.S. Achuthanandan wants to quit as the leader of opposition
in the assembly, his close aide said Saturday.
His aide Berlin Kunjananthan Nair told reporters that Achuthanandan spoke to him and he was deeply hurt.
"He
(Achuthanandan) told me (Nair) that he will not leave the party and
will attend the 22nd CPI-M Congress in Visakhapatnam in April. He wants
to quit as leader of opposition in the assembly," said Nair, who has
been a fellow traveller and a close aide of Achuthanandan.
Meanwhile, a crowd gathered at his residence and shouted slogans in his support.
Earlier,
Achuthanandan was Saturday pulled up at the state Communist Party of
India (Marxist) (CPI-M) conference here for breaching party discipline,
following which he walked out of the meet.
Achuthanandan walked
out during the morning session of the conference which began Friday. He
was followed by reporters but the veteran headed for his home in
Punnapara and did not speak to anyone.
Sources said he was deeply
hurt after being criticised over a 50-page party report tabled at the
meeting, attacking the veteran for his constant breach of party
discipline.
"He told me that when a party member, belonging to a
higher committee comes under attack in a meeting, he must be given an
opportunity to reply to the remarks made against him," said Nair.
The
party politburo has already met and decided to talk to Achuthanandan,
who cancelled his press meeting scheduled to be held at 4 p.m at his
home.
On Friday, CPI-M state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan went
hammer and tongs at his arch rival and after an hour, Achuthanandan hit
back at Vijayan.
Trouble between the two has been a long standing
problem for the party and over the years, Vijayan's hold on the party
has become stronger, while Achuthanandan has been losing ground.
On
April 11, 1964, 38 council members of the Communist Party walked out,
protesting some actions of Communist Party of India (CPI) leader S.A.
Dange which paved the way for the formation of the CPI-M. Achuthanandan,
91, is the only person still alive from the time of the formation of
the CPI-M.