Fresh round of factional fight in Kerala unit of CPM

Kochi, Aug 7 (UNI) In a fresh round of factional fighting in the Kerala unit of the CPM, the party's Ernakulam district committee, dominated by supporters of Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, today passed a resolution criticising party-backed Kairali TV for airing an interview against the chief minister last week.

The 45-member committee said that the airing of the two-part interview with businessman Pharis Aboobaker, who is also the chairman of the Malayalam daily 'Deepika', was aimed at ''tarnishing the image of the chief minister.'' It may be recalled that State party secretary Pinarayi Vijayan had defended Kairali for airing the interview.

According to reports, only four members of the Ernakulam district committee opposed the resolution, which is being sent to the party's central committee.

Both Mr Achuthanandan and Mr Pinarayi Vijayan had been suspended from the CPM Politburo a few months ago to check the factional fighting in the Kerala unit.

UNI