The CPM Politburo Commission, constituted to look into the complaints raised by V S Achuthanandan against the state leadership of the party, completed its sitting on Monday here giving the Opposition leader and party veteran sufficient leeway till the party experiences another bout of factional feuds. According to CPM sources, despite severe criticism against VS unleashed by Pinarayi loyalists, with a few of them even seeking his expulsion from the party, the general mood of the discussions was in favour of achieving a reconciliation and taking efforts to strengthen party.
‘’As VS had complained to the politburo against the state leadership, he was firm on his stand. While the die-hard ones from the official faction wanted him to be expelled, the majority of the members in the state committee wanted VS to correct his style of functioning,’’ one of the sources said.
With the PB Commission led by party general secretary Prakash Karat making it clear to the state committee that it wanted the members to engage in constructive debate, the official faction, which has a brutal majority in the committee, toned down its stance. The general mood of the meeting was that VS should change. He should abide by the party discipline, which was expected from a leader of his stature, the sources said.
According to the sources, the PB commission did not take up the state committee resolution passed in February for discussion.
In contrast to the mood of the state committee members then, who adopted the resolution seeking removal of VS from the Opposition Leader’s post, this time the committee witnessed an apparent climbdown by the members. Among them, only a very few wanted VS to be stripped of the party positions and Opposition Leader’s post.
Moreover, apart from staunch supporters such as K Chandran Pillai, Mercykutty Amma, M Chandran, C K Sadasivan, some of the known Pinarayi faction leaders also came out in support of VS this time. However, they said it was high time that VS corrected his ways. Leaders such as K N Ravindranath and T M Thomas Isaac took the position that it was time for unity.
The fact that Lok Sabha elections are just months away has also made many of the leaders take a realistic approach.