The resultant turmoil is the sequel to a tactless act of the official wing of the Kerala CPI(M) led by party secretary Pinarayi Vijayan in dusting up an old report – a highly partisan one prepared by CPI(M) MP P Karunakaran that denied VS a chance to explain his position. A provoked VS has reacted in characteristically aggressive fashion giving back as much as he got. There are reports that VS has informed the central leaders that he was angered by the attempts to marginalise him with the help of a one-sided report, which virtually accuses him of misusing his official position to influence judges to strengthen the SNC Lavalin case against Vijayan.

Significantly, PB member Sitaram Yechury, a consistent supporter of VS, is on record that the veteran was provoked by the discussion on the Karunakaran report in the state committee.

What was the tearing hurry to publicise the blatantly anti-VS report - prepared ironically on VS’s own demand - without even a discussion in the state committee? It was a needlessly provocative act from Vijayan at a time when the party should be devoting its undivided attention on exploiting the extreme discomfiture of the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF), struggling to weather the political storm unleashed by the Nair Service Society(NSS)’s angry out bursts against the government .

In the interview, VS has said that he was dropped from the Polit Buro for speaking the truth: that there was corruption in the Lavalin case. By reiterating his position, VS has adopted a position which is diametrically opposed to the stand taken by the Polit Buro — that there was no corruption in the Lavalin deal. The conclusion that Vijayan had not made any monetary gains in the deal, VS said, this was based on the evidence given by only one of the witnesses. Referring to the recommendation for action against his aides, (which he has strongly opposed) VS said they were innocent, adding that the move was actually against him.

Asked whether this meant that the party had no faith in him, Achuthanandan said it was for the central leadership to decide. If they had no faith in him, they could expel him, he quipped.

There is only one explanation for Vijayan’s vindictiveness: The powerful party secretary is in no mood to give up his programme of achieving the ouster of VS despite subtle hints from the central leadership to get off his favourite hobby horse. It is clear that Vijayan and his aides are unhappy about the Central Committee’s decision to defer a discussion on the CPI(M) state committee’s recommendation for expulsion of three VS aides for ‘anti-party activities’. By dusting up the Karunakaran commission report, the official wing of the Kerala CPI(M) has delivered a clear message to the party leadership: we won’t stop until you take action against VS for what they dub ‘innumerable’ acts of indiscipline the stalwart has been indulging in. Such pathological obsession with - and relentless targeting - of the seniormost and most popular leader of the party is a luxury the CPI(M) cannot afford at this crucial juncture.

Evidently, the central leadership has its task cut out. It will have to act on the complaint the Kerala leaders are planning to file against VS in the light of his latest outburst at some point of time. The central leadership can delay action only at the risk of further loss of credibility as a disciplined party. But any extreme action against VS is bound to further weaken the CPI(M) and demoralise the party’s rank and file. How the central leadership resolves this Hamletian dilemma remains to be seen. It is also not clear whether the party, which is busy with the election campaign in Tripura, the only state where it is in power, will have an immediate PB meeting to discuss the Kerala crisis. (IPA Service)