Snubbed by comrades, Kerala CM braces for big battle, even his exit

Posted: Jan 31, 2009

Thiruvananathapuram: With the CPM central leadership refusing to yield to his demand of removing state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan in the wake of the SNC Lavalin scandal, Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan is gearing up for his next big battle.

Leaders close to Achuthanandan are in touch with his sympathizers who were purged from the party over the last few years. The rebels are said to be in the process of setting up parallel units across the state, anticipating a possible exit of the veteran Marxist from the party.

Sources close to Achuthanandan told The Indian Express that he’s determined to walk out of the post, and perhaps even the party, if the leadership continues to back Vijayan, an accused in the SNC Lavalin case. Vijayan was the state power minister when the government-run electricity board signed a controversial deal with the Canadian power company. The CBI has sought the Governor’s permission to prosecute Vijayan.

“The process of forming shadow local units has begun in all districts,” sources among the rebels said, indicating that they are in touch with pro-Achuthanandan leaders in the party. Sources, however, said that Achuthanandan has so far not made any commitment to the rebels. He has already pulled out from the inauguration of Vijayan’s Kerala Yatra on February 2.