Former Kerala Chief Minister and CPM leader VS Achuthanandan (File photo)
Former Kerala Chief Minister and CPM leader VS Achuthanandan today rebuffed Aam Aadmi Party founder Arvind Kejriwal's attempt to lure him to his party fold.
"Mr Kejriwal doesn't know my political history of 75 years, that's why he invited me to join AAP. When I began working for CPM, he was a school boy. I have always worked for and supported CPM,'' Mr Achuthanandan, 90, said.
Mr Kejriwal, 45, had extented an invitation to the CPM veteran through a regional news channel, Asianet, to join his rookie party, which confounded political pundits by making a stunning debut in electoral politics in December. It bagged 28 seats in the Delhi assembly, but, more important, prevented the BJP from securing a clear majority in the 70-member house.
The AAP has now spread its net wider, and has set its sight at the Lok Sabha polls, due by May. It has announced its plans to contest 300 to 350 seats, and is now scouting around for credible faces in various parts of the country to keep the party banner aloft.
"I would like to appeal to Mr Achuthanandan to please join our party... The key enemies of the moment are not individuals, but corruption and communalism, and it is an opportune time to make a difference to the future of the country,'' Mr Kejriwal said yesterday, while extending the invite to the CPM leader.
Mr Achuthanandan, who is presently the leader of opposition in Kerala assembly, has turned into a dissident of late, and has come out openly against the CPM's official stand on critical issues. He had recently embarrassed the party leadership by raking up the TP Chandrashekharan's murder case.
The former Kerala chief minister described Chandrashekharan as a "true Marxist", while CPI(M) state secretary Pinnarayi Vijayan had slammed him as a 'renegade.'