Kerala CM Achuthanandan removed from CPM politburo

New Delhi, July 12 (ANI): Kerala's octogenarian Chief Minister and veteran Communist leader, V S Achuthanandan, was on Sunday axed from the Communist Party of India - Marxist (CPI-M) politburo and central committee on grounds of party indiscipline.

Achuthanandan was accused of leaking information related to the party to the media. The CPI-M Central Committee said that it would issue a formal statement this evening after it concludes its two-day meeting here.

No action is likely against the other protagonist in the Kerala CPM Pinarayi Vijayan, party sources revealed.

Achuthanandan and Vijayan, the powerful state secretary, have been at loggerheads for the past few months with Achuthanandan demanding that Vijayan be removed from his post since he has been named an accused by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the Rs.374 crore SNC Lavalin corruption case.

The Vijayan faction, in retaliation, has demanded that disciplinary action be taken against Achuthanandan for "violating party discipline".

Party insiders fear that the CPI-M might split in Kerala if action is taken only against the chief minister. Achuthanandan was removed from the CPI-M politburo for the first time on July 12.chuthanandan will continue being chief minister till the Assembly elections.

The party has constituted an independent probe into allegations against Vijayan, who has been held responsible for what the party called "organisational lapses". (ANI)