Author: Shaju Philip
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: January 31, 2009
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/vs-gears-up-for-final-showdown-all-alone/417157/
Introduction: His fight against corruption
has put VS Achuthanandan on a battle turf and he has no second-rung leader
to stand up for his cause
While the battle in the Kerala CPI(M) has
reached a flashpoint, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan finds himself beleaguered
instead of his rival Pinarayi Vijayan who is facing corruption charges in
the Lavalin scam. Unlike popular perception, the existential crisis is now
more severe for Achuthanandan, who is the only living Communist from Kerala
who was among those walked out of the national council of the CPI in 1964
to float the CPI(M).
His stand for Communist values and fight against
corruption has this time pitch-forked Achuthanandan into a battle quite different
from the previous ones fought against Pinarayi. The sentiments of the Communist
gallery are with Achuthanandan, but the aged gladiator miserably misses a
team to take on his "tainted rival".
The veteran of many a fight has no second
rung leaders to stand up for his cause as the entire party leadership has
been aligned with Pinarayi. Achuthanandan has only the party mass, local level
leaders, and that great history of classical Communism to fall back on at
this critical juncture.
This is obviously different from the crisis
confronted by Achuthanandan after the party denied him a ticket to contest
the Assembly polls in 2006. Then, as the mascot of the Left, Achuthanandan
had a battery of senior leaders ready to take any step along with him.
Over the last three years, leaders who stood
with him have either been suspended or silenced. Career-oriented confidants
jettisoned Achuthanandan as the party has been treading the Pinarayi way.
Prominent among them was N N Krishnadas. The economic boom in Kochi had played
a key role in the loss of the Ernakulam district committee for Achuthanandan.
While Achuthanandan has been engaged in fighting
the real estate mafia, many of his close associates found it lucrative to
hobnob with the same forces. Being in power, ministers M Vijayakumar, S Sharma
and P K Gurudasan are not keen to take up cudgels for their mentor.
Despite being left high and dry by the party
machinery, Achuthanandan is gearing up for a final showdown on two grounds:
the swelling constituency of Communist rebels and grassroots-level disenchantment
within the party against Right-wing deviations and corruption of the rivals.
He has already signalled that he would not mind stepping down if the party
refused to remove Pinarayi as state secretary.
In the event of quitting the CM's post in
protest against the Politburo favouring Pinarayi, Achuthanandan will find
it tough to continue in the party. He, most probably, will have to walk out
of the party alone. As the party is in power, leaders are unlikely to risk
their jobs.
According to sources, Achuthanandan has been
conducting hectic discussions with several leaders, mainly those who have
been suspended from the party. The suspended leaders have been goading Achuthanandan
to come out of the party.
"The rebel movement has a considerable
mass base. But, they have no state-level leader. For them, Achuthanandan looks
a better choice to head the movement," said a party central committee
member close to Pinarayi.
"Achuthanandan will be able to trigger
a strong rebel movement. To what extent he is able to injure the party will
depend on the mass that supports him," the sources said.
Hardliners in the Pinarayi group who wants
to see the back of Achuthanandan believe that his capacity to harm the party
will be limited to the ensuing elections. If the party is ready to accept
what may come in the next elections, the leader can be thrown out.
It has to be seen whether the party will go
for protecting the organisational machinery led by Pinarayi, risking mass
sentiments in favour of Achuthanandan.
Though the party has asked all its local-level
units to protest against the CBI decision to implicate Pinarayi in the Lavalin
case, the grassroots-level participation in protest meetings is very thin.
This is a matter of serious concern for the party. Even in Kannur, the home
town of Pinarayi, the mass involvement in agitations is dull.
