

KOCHI: Nineteen days into the demise of comrade Balanandan, his wife and CPM state committee member Sarojini was in confusion and grief personified.
When The New Indian Express reporter visited her at the residence in Kalamassery on Saturday, she was not ready to utter even a word on politics.
``I am in deep grief. It’s only a few days since the departure of my husband.
Don’t ask me anything now. I won’t tell anything until 41 days have passed since the sorrowful event,’’ she said when asked about the controversy over the letter to the politburo by the late E Balanandan on the Lavalin issue. But, her eyes certainly testified that the problems in the party have contributed to her grief.
She appeared to be sticking to the party discipline. Being the wife of the veteran leader who continued to criticise the autocratic attitudes of those at the helm staying well within the party discipline until he gasped his last, Sarojini couldn’t have gone beyond the party limits. And the party seemed to be beyond any other thing or individual for her.
When asked whether the present controversies could have been avoided, she reiterated, `` I won’t comment.’’ But, the tears rolling down from her cheek showed that they have hurt her a lot.