CPM plays down Achuthanandan flip-flop

Thiruvananthapuram: CPM on Tuesday played down the flip-flop over State Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan's candidature for the April 13 assembly elections in Kerala and said that there was no confusion and dispute in the party on the matter. The party announced the candidates list on March 18 after due organisational process and what ever news came out otherwise were lack of understanding the ways in which party works, CPM polit bureau member S R Ramachandran Pillai told a meet the press programme here on Tuesday.

The party had consultations at all levels before finalising the candidates, Pillai added when asked about the confusion over naming the 87-year old CPI-M veteran Achuthandandan's candidature from Malampuzha assembly segment. Terming Achuthanandan's as one of the prominent leader of the party and LDF, Pillai said decision on next chief minister if LDF returns to power would be taken after the poll results.

LDF in Kerala is seeking the people's mandate for the continuation of the development and other welfare schemes initiated during Achuthanandan's five-year rule, he said. He said party gives much importance to polls in Kerala and West Bengal as the its outcome would determine a new political situation in the national level and strengthen the forces that fight against the new-liber economic policies of the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre.

Joining the row over the KPCC President using a helicopter for poll campaign in the state, Pillai said it was clearly a show of wealth. "There is no need to use an helicopter in a place like Kerala," he said. Pillai also refuted the UDF charge that CPM leaders in West Bengal used helicopter for poll campaign.

Pillai said political situation in Kerala had changed since the Parliament elections in 2009, when the LDF received major political set back. "There was confusion in the minds of the people about the decision the CPM to support the Congress led UPA government between 2004-08," he said. However, he said party was right in extending support to UPA government considering the particular political situation and also in withdrawing its support on Indo-US nuclear issue.