THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Dropping a political bomb that could hurt the CPM, a memoir by V S Achuthanandan’s former additional secretary Suresh Kumar claims that Pinarayi Vijayan endeavoured to ensure that the VS government did not return to power in 2011.
In his new book, VS nu Oppam Ente Dinangal (‘My Days With VS’), the retired IAS officer alleges that Pinarayi, then state secretary of the party, wilfully fielded candidates with little chance of victory in an election in which the LDF went on to win 68 seats. Releasing the book at an event on Saturday, senior Congress leader K Sudhakaran handed a copy to retired High Court judge B Kemal Pasha.
At a meeting following the party’s unexpected defeat, Suresh recalled VS telling him: “Vijayan spearheaded the work to hamper the chances of a second VS government. He fielded 13 bad candidates to seats the party had a good chance of winning.” VS specifically cited the party’s defeat in Manalur to buttress his claim.
Referring to the eviction of encroachers in Munnar, the book, brought out by Bookworm Publishing, contends that even when then-KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala and Leader of Opposition Oommen Chandy extended support for the move, VS faced backlash from the CPI, the Pinarayi group in the CPM and the encroachers themselves.
Recalling VS, Sudhakaran said the former chief minister was a good human being with a visionary mind. “He loved everyone, irrespective of whether you are from CPI or CPM. His only commitment was to the people and to democracy,” the Kannur MP said.
Stating that VS once called him a genuine person, Sudhakaran recounted the former CM telling him: “You are a youngster who addresses every challenge that comes your way. Because of that you have a place in people’s hearts.”
Terming the memoir a narrative of truth, Justice Kemal Pasha said it has the potential to stir up a major row. “The Munnar drive was a stellar project that did not accord political immunity to anyone. But what will happen if an elephant, which is strong by itself, is chained? That happened midway through the process, too,” he said.
Notably, the event was also attended by suspended IAS officers B Ashok and N Prashanth, who were reinstated later the same day.
