Vijayan denies CPI(M) sought to dump Achuthanandan

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 31: CPI(M) Kerala unit secretary Pinarayi Vijayan today denied that the party state leadership had sought to dump V S Achuthanandan in the assembly polls but made a volte-face under pressure from the central leadership.

"We have discussed and taken decision on candiates only at one stage and Achuthanandan's name was there at that stage," Vijayan told a meet-the-press here.

On reports of the party's flip-flop on the matter, he said the media were also capable of flashing news on issues about which they did not have the correct information.

Vijayan, seen as a rival to Achuthanandan in the fractious state unit of CPI(M), said the question of who should become Chief Minister after the polls would be decided after the results were out as that had been the practice in the party.

"We will decide who should be the Chief Minister as soon as the results are known," he said.

He said the impression that he and Achuthanandan were at loggerheads on all issues was a malicious propaganda.

Vijayan said the LDF was absolutely confident of securing a fresh mandate on the strength of the LDF Government's performance.

"The LDF government has been able to revive the state in all sectors after it was left in an extremely bad shape by the previous UDF ministry."

Asked how this optimism could be taken for granted considering the drubbing LDF received in the Lok Sabha and civic polls,he said the situations were different then and now as the basic theme of the assembly elections is the state government's performance.

Seeking to downplay SFI leader Sindhu Joy's resignation from CPI(M), Vijayan said her complaint that she had been neglected by the party was totally baseless. Sindu was made a candidate in 2006 assembly polls and 2009 Lok Sabha polls, he said.

Vijayan dismissed as a "cooked up story" the charge of CPI(M) leader P Jayarajan roughing up a television reporter in Kannur during an election talk show.

PTI