Thiruvananthapuram, July 14 (Inditop.com) The Congress-led opposition Tuesday staged a walk out of the Kerala assembly protesting the Communist Party of India-Marxist’s (CPI-M) inner factionalism spilling out on to the streets.
The CPI-M’s move to drop Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan from the politburo Sunday led to hundreds of his supporters coming out to protest in many parts of the state the next day only to be attacked by the cadres of the rival faction led by state unit boss Pinarayi Vijayan.
Even media persons covering the event were not spared. Vijayan supporters allegedly brutally beat up the crew of Malayala Manorama TV.
The Leader of Opposition Oommen Chandy Tuesday criticised Achuthanandan for maintaining a stoic silence on the issue.
“Achuthanandan, it is time you act, if not please ask your supporters to remain indoors. We don’t have anything to do with your party’s feud, but the ordinary people are being affected by the street fighting of CPI-M,” Chandy said in the assembly.
Reacting to Chandy’s comments, Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said that opposition is just interested in getting political mileage out of the matter.
“A smear campaign has started that all is not well within the CPI-M. Action will be taken against those who attacked the media persons at Alappuzha. But you (the Congress)should not forget that after the Lok Sabha debacle (in 2004), two of your party leaders had to walk around without their ‘dhoti’ after being attacked by your own party men,” Balakrishnan said.
Meanwhile, a legislator considered close to Achuthanandan told IANS, on condition of anonymity, that the chief minister is just biding his time.
“I met him and he told me to wait. He said all those who conspired against him will not be spared. Things could happen even during the ongoing assembly session itself,” he said.