TP’s murder fans VS-Vijayan feud in CPI(M)

Thursday, May 10, 2012: The murder of former CPI(M) activist and RMP leader PT Chandrasekharan has fanned the feud between Marxist veteran V S Achuthanandan and the party’s powerful state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan with the old rivals clashing over the approach towards rebels.
Achuthanandan’s virtual denouncement of Vijayan for stating that rebels like Chandrasekharan, who have either left the party or have been expelled for valid reasons, could be seen only as betrayers and renegades, has fuelled a fresh war of words.
“This is not the party’s view. This is Vijayan’s personal view. The party’s approach is to take a positive approach towards the rebels and try to bring them back to the party”, the 88-year-old leader said in Kozhikode yesterday.
The party leadership is under attack from the Congress in the context of the killing of Chandrasekharan at Vallikkad near Vatakara town in Kozhikode district last week.
Chandrasekharan was a popular CPI(M) leader from the party stronghold Onjiyam before he was expelled for questioning the ideological deviations and opulent lifestyle of a section of the leaders.
When he was in CPI-M, he was known to be a close supporter of Achuthanandan and after his expulsion he continued to challenge the party by floating the Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP).
The Congress and UDF leaders in the state have alleged that the murder of Chandrasekharan was plotted by the CPI(M), a charge stoutly denied by the latter.
Unfazed by Achuthanandan’s comment, Vijayan said he stuck to what he had said as he could see those striving to break the party only as betrayers and renegades.