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The Communist Party of India, which is an ally of the Left Democratic Front in Kerala, is likely to support octogenarian Communist Party of India - Marxist leader and state Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan, who is increasingly getting isolated within his own party.
CPI ministers C Divakaran and Mullakara Ratnakaran recently met Achuthanandan, after the CM's close associates, Fisheries Minister S Sharma and Excise Minister P K Gurudasan, directly attacked him during a party meeting.
The CPI ministers, according to sources, have been given the go ahead to approach Achuthanandan by the party's state secretary Veliyam Bhargavan, who was once a fellow comrade to the Kerala CM.
CPI national general secretary A B Bardhan, while responding to the queries of media persons, had recently stated that the CPI-M cannot take an unilateral decision about removing Achuthanandan from the CM's post in a coalition government.
Political pundits believe that Bardhan's statement indicates that the CPI would not be averse to supporting Achuthanandan.
The CPI, which is still furious over the insult meted out to the party during the seat sharing before the Lok Sabha polls, is particularly upset with the manner in which the CPI-M had given the Ponnani Lok Sabha seat to an independent candidate, who was supported by the People's Democratic Party of Abdul Nasser Madani.
The CPI leadership is also sore at the manner in which the Janata Dal – Secular was kicked out of the coalition government. The JD-S' ouster came after the popular Malayalam daily Mathrubhumi, which is managed by JD-S state president M P Veerendrakumar, carried several hard hitting articles against CPI-M state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan and his involvement in the multi-crore SNC Lavelin contract deal.