Yechury’s attempt to mollify VS fails

ALAPPUZHA: Politburo member Sitaram Yechury’s  efforts to calm down Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan, who quit the CPM’s Allappuzha conference, failed, on Saturday.

Yechury tried for a compromise following central leadership’s instructions after TV channels started playing up VS’ walkkout . Though he tried to contact VS over phone, the veteran leader didn’t budge. “I am not going to be there (at the conference venue) until the delegates stop cornering me and criticising me,” this was his reply.     

The central leaders had the feeling that VS would return to the conference if Yechury, who has a good relationship with the leader,” talked to him. But, now as the attempt has failed, the Central leadership is on a sticky wicket.

In the wake of the awkward happening at the conference, available politburo meeting was convened today. General Secretary Prakash Karat, PB members S Ramachandran Pillai, Brinda Karat, Pinarayi Vijayan, Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and M A Baby attended the meeting.

An ad hoc CPM State committee has also called a meeting today at 8pm to discuss the matter.    

Meanwhile, the leaders have taken VS’ walkout in a lighter vein. When media confronted an irate Pinarayi, he asked the media men to keep away. While S Ramachandran Pillai said that VS had not walked out for ever, M A Baby said leaders hoping in and out of the conference venue was a usual thing. Kannur District Secretary P Jayarajan’s stand was that VS is part of the State conference and Central committee member E P Jayarajan said there was no issues in the CPM.

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