Chief minister caught in political crossfire again

Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan, in the midst of national controversy for his uncomplimentary remark about the family of a Keralite commando officer, who was killed during the operation against the Mumbai terrorists, has got himself entangled in another thorny topic.

The new storm revived debate over whether the chief minister's decision to send a team to demolish illegal resorts in Munnar was a good one for the image of the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM).

Trouble began for the chief minister this week when his private secretary S. Rajendran remarked that Achuthanandan was being held captive by a group of advisors bent on misleading him.

Rajendran's statement evoked an equally strong response from Suresh Kumar, an IAS officer who Achuthanandan picked to lead the team to Munnar.

Kumar said that Rajendran, and the CM's political secretary Balagopal were to blame for the disastrous moves by the chief minister.

In the latest development, Cooperation Minister G. Sudhakaran has complained to Achuthanandan stating that Kumar has not attended key cooperation department meetings. Political observers say the issues point to a deepening of the fissures in the already weakened CPM which could lead to the Achuthanandan's detractors calling for a new chief minister.