The rivalry between party veteran V S Achuthanandan and Communist Party of India-Marxist Kerala state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan appears to be heading to a flashpoint, pushing the party to its worst crisis in recent times.
While his critics described him as a leader 'with no smile on his face, and the most feared politician in Kerala', his party rivals have often accused him of deviating from the party line.
The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau on Friday filed an FIR against Communist Party of India-Marxist leader V S Achuthanandan in a land allotment case even as the octogenarian former chief minister indicated that he would resign as Opposition leader if chargesheeted.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist state secretariat meeting which went on for a marathon four hours on Wednesday, denied seat to the patriarch of the party, and the Chief Minister of Kerala, VS Achuthanandan, to contest the ensuing assembly elections slated for April 13.
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday snubbed Kerala Chief Minister V S Achutanandan for his comment describing Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi as an 'Amul baby'.
'Our reform policies are always people friendly. The problem with the Congress government is that its reform policies are only meant for the party leaders to make money,' says V S Achuthanandan, Kerala's next chief minister.
Kerala Chief Minister and Communist Party of India - Marxist veteran V S Achuthanandan on Wednesday got into trouble over his comment about his opponent and Congress leader in Malampuzha segment Lathika Subhash.Subhash moved the Election Commission and court against him for making a 'defamatory' remark against her.The row was sparked by Achuthanandan's comment at a press meet in Palakkad on Tuesday when he said, "They are famous, and, if you inquire, you will know why."
Senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday refuted the Congress charge as 'baseless' that her party had not fielded a candidate against Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan in the April 13 assembly elections as part of a secret pact with the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist.
Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan on Sunday alleged that the Congress-led United Democratic Front Opposition was hatching a conspiracy to create violence during the coming assembly polls and the death of five Indian Union Muslim League activists engaged in making bombs was an indication of that.
Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan has ordered a probe into the complaint filed by one Shameer from Mattanchery, Kochi against PV Sreenijan, the son-in-law of Justice KG Balakrishnan, the former Chief Justice of India, for allegedly amassing property at worth Rs 7 crore in the last four years.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who inaugurated the celebrations, clarified that the Governor was not invited due to "protocol" issues.
Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan on Saturday announced a judicial inquiry into the stampede that claimed 104 lives at Pullumeduner on Friday night. Achuthanandan, who flew down by a helicopter to Kumali where the bodies of the victims were brought, also announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh for the family of each of the victims. The seriously injured would be given Rs 50,000 and those with minor injuries Rs 25,000.
The political rhetoric of Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan was not going to help the ruling Left Democratic Front in its 'losing battle' for the assembly polls as people of Kerala were keen on a change of rule, senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy said on Monday.
The total income of the 87-year-old leader, who entered the fray from Malampuzha segment on Thursday, was shown as Rs 3,43,994 as per the income tax returns filed for 2009-10.
The two day Communist Partyof India-Marxist state committee meeting which is significant after the Polibureau decision of demoting the octogenarian leader and Chief Minister of Kerala ,V S Achuthanandan from the party polibureau will begin in Thiruvananthpuram on Tuesday.
Kerala Chief Minister and senior Communist Party of India - Marxist leader V S Achuthanandan will be removed from the party's politburo and the central committee, said sources in New Delhi. The octogenarian leader, who is currently in New Delhi, will leave for Kerala early on Sunday morning, said sources.Though some leaders from West Bengal had voiced their support for Achuthanandan, CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat remained firm on taking action against the Kerala CM.
The guidelines, in tune with the state IT policy, was approved by the Cabinet, chief minister V S Achuthanandan told reporters.
It had been reported in a section of the media Madani and his wife had links with some extremist elements, who were shot dead by the army in Kashmir .It may be recalled that four youths from Kerala were killed I an encounter while they were trying to cross the border into Pakistan.
While the Kerala chief minister has not yet shown any sign of accepting the party's line on the SNC Lavalin corruption case -- where Vijayan has been termed an accused by the CBI -- the politburo will try to maintain a balance between the two factions in a last-ditch effort.
Additional police force had been rushed to the Sabarimala hill shrine in Kerala in view of the heavy rush of pilgrims, Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan said.
Velikakathu Shankaran Achuthanandan, popularly known as 'Comrade VS,' heading the CPI-M-led Left Democratic Front government, reached the Sabarimala hilltop on Sunday night after a three-hour-long walk along with thousands of pilgrims pouring into the shrine to have a 'darshan' of Lord Ayyappa during the peak pilgrimage season.
The Non-Resident Keralite Affairs Department was also in touch with the Indian Embassy in Nigeria to find out about Murugan, Achuthanandan said while replying to a submssion.
Achuthanandan will be done away within 24 hours, an anonymous caller informed a constable on duty at 0410 hours on Monday over phone, Police Commissioner Balramkumar Upadhaya said.
Achuthanandan said the government had not yet received any communication from the CBI informing their unwillingness to investigate the case.
It was high time that the priests and religious scholars introspected on giving up obsolete and superstitious practices like the 'punyaham,' he said.
Marking a major deal in IT sector in Kerala, the state government on Wednesday approved the agreement to be signed with Dubai-based TECOM for setting up Rs 1500 crore Smart City project in Kochi.
While the CPI-M in a statement after the secretariat on Friday maintained that Balakrishnan, who is also a Polit Bureau member, had sought leave for further treatment which had been accepted, the leader of opposition in the state assembly Ramesh Chennithala dubbed the move as a delayed dawning of wisdom.
The Indian Institute of Technology, Chennai has agreed to start one of their satellite campuses in Kerala, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan told the Kerala Assembly on Thursday.
Achuthanandan, who is seeking re-election from Malampuzha in Palakkad district, said the UDF did not implement any of the promises it made in its manifesto in 2001.
Here is a closer look at politicos who have emerged victorious in the electoral contest of five state assemblies.
In four years, the state has had to battle cyclones, two floods, and two epidemiological disasters. If people bring Pinarayi Vijayan back to power, he must have done something right, obsevers Aditi Phadnis.
Perumbavoor Deputy Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar has been removed from the investigating team due to lapses.
In a relief to former Chief Minister and veteran Communist Party of India-Marxist leader V S Achuthanandan, the Kerala high court on Thursday quashed the First Information Report against him in a land allotment issue, holding that framing a case against him on 'false and frivolous' charges was unworthy of any merit.
The Communist Party of India-Marxist central committee considered a report submitted by the polit bureau on the prevailing situation in Kerala and party related matters there, a statement released by the party said.
After Kerala Labour Minister Shibu Baby John's meeting with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi stirred a row, the Left has trained its guns on Sree Narayana Mutt at Varkala for inviting the BJP leader as chief guest at a function on April 24.
Hit by the "bar bribe controversy", the Congress-led United Democratic Front government in Kerala on Sunday announced a vigilance probe into the allegation by bar owners that state Finance Minister and Kerala Congress (M) supremo K M Mani had demanded a hefty sum for favourable decisions.
Coming out against the report of the Supreme Court-appointed Empowered Committee on Mullaperiyar dam, over which Kerala and Tamil Nadu are at loggerheads, Communist Party of India-Marxist veteran V S Achuthanandan on Monday said it was "unilateral and in favour of Tamil Nadu".
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