By Ashraf Padanna/Thiruvananthapuram


The politburo of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) yesterday approved the decision of the party’s state unit to fire three close aides of senior leader V S Achuthanandan.
However, the top decision-making body of the party which leads Kerala’s opposition Left
Democratic Front (LDF) put on hold the demand for Achuthanandan’s removal as the Leader of Opposition in the state assembly and constituted an internal inquiry.
Those who were expelled are Achuthanandan’s press secretary K Balakrishnan, personal Assistant A Suresh, and additional private secretary V K Sasidharan.
An inquiry commission set up by the party had concluded that the three were behind leaking to the media a secret party report last year.
Reports from New Delhi said CPM general secretary Prakash Karat will hold a press conference in the national capital today to brief about the two-day meetings of the politburo and the central committee.
The sacking of the trio is seen as the total isolation of the 89-year-old Achuthanandan in the party. His position as the leader of opposition is also very shaky. However, reports said Achuthanandan, a popular mass leader, is likely to be allowed to remain in the post until next year’s parliamentary elections.
“It has reached a situation where Achuthanandan cannot continue in his position with his wings clipped by the party. The big question now is whether he would sacrifice his position (with the rank of a cabinet minister),” said K M Shahjahan, his former private secretary who had to go similarly when he was the chief minister.
The panel that inquired into the allegations against the three found their explanations unsatisfactory.
The action was put off earlier due to stiff resistance from the veteran leader. Though Achuthanandan met Karat and requested that his aides be spared, no respite came from the central leadership. Achuthanadan was earlier ousted from politburo for his diatribe against his party colleague and state unit secretary Pinarayi Vijayan.
Most of the secretariat and state committee had supported the action while two prominent leaders, former minister S Sarma and J Mercikkuttiamma, opposed it on technical grounds.
Meanwhile, the Delhi meeting also decided to appoint a commission to inquire into the points raised by Achuthanandan in his letter given to the politburo on Saturday.
Now all eyes are on Achuthanandan on how he responds to the action by his party. Suresh has been his companion at the meeting for the past two days. Meanwhile, Sasidharan refused to comment.
“I have nothing to say on these reports because I have no clue and I have no knowledge of any decisions,” he said in Thiruvanathapuram.