Party has right to criticise me: Achuthanandan

Thiruvananthapuram, Aug 13: Kerala Chief Minister and CPI(M) Polit Bureau Memver V S Achuthanandan on Wednesday, Aug 13 said though the party had the right to criticise him, he would not hesitate to accept or reject it, based on merit.

''It's my nature. I accept constructive criticisms,'' he told newspersons here while reacting to sharp criticism made against him by the CPI(M) State Committee.

On the State Committee's remarks that it were the extremists who talked about second land reforms in Kerala, Mr Achuthanandan said, ''it was for the people to judge.'' ''Opportunists and revisionists were scared of extremists because they always opposed them. However, extremism was not good for the society.'' In the midst of eviction of illegal structures in Munnar, Mr Achuthanandan spoke about the need for second land reforms.

However, the Party State Committee, dominated by his opponents, issued a statement totally disowning the call for land reforms.

Mr Achuthanandan also came out heavily on his critics within the party stating he was denied ticket in the previous Assembly elections on the ground the party would lose if he contested the elections.

The next day itself, he informed the Polit Bureau that he did not want to contest if it would affect the prospects of the party.

However, due to pressure from party cadre and a section of the State Committee, the Polit Bureau reversed the decision which resulted in the LDF's victory by a two-third margin in the elections, he added.

UNI