Thiruvananthapuram:
VS Achuthanandan, a founding member of the CPI(M) and former Kerala chief minister, today apologised to his one-time protege and now rival Pinarayi Vijayan as well as the party. To the CPI(M), he said that he was wrong in going against the party line and supporting the anti-nuclear plant protests at Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu.
His apology to Mr Vijayan was for likening him to SA Dange, under whose leadership the communist party split into two in 1964. Mr Vijayan is the party's state secretary.
"It was a mistake on my part to visit the Kudankulam nuclear power plant. My remark on CPI(M) state committee secretary Pinarayi Vijayan was also a mistake. I am admitting these things publicly after critically evaluating myself," he said while addressing a press conference in Thiruvananthapuram today.
While the CPI(M) disagrees with anti-nuclear energy campaigners' demand for closing down the Kudankulam plant, Mr Achuthanandan had often openly stated in the past that he firmly believed that nuclear plants are dangerous anywhere in the world.
But today, toeing the party line, he stressed on the need for a safety audit by an independent body before the commissioning of the reactors. However, he remained silent on the protesters' demand to close down the plant. Earlier, he had strongly backed their demand.
The former Kerala Chief Minister was censured by the party's Central Committee last week for his divergent stand. "The Central Committee rejects his views. It censures him (Achuthanandan) for his refusal to abide by the stand which was worked out at the Party Congress," a statement released by the CPI(M) Central Committee had said.
At the CPI(M) state committee meeting which concluded on Sunday, the 88-year-old leader reportedly faced severe criticism for pledging open support to the Kudankulam agitation. Many in the committee reportedly also condemned him for comparing Mr Vijayan to SA Dange.
Mr Achuthanandan has been censured by the party Central Committee twice in last three months, first over the "Dange" remark and then on the Kudankulam issue.
Last month, Mr Achuthanandan had attempted to visit the nuclear plant in Tamil Nadu to pledge solidarity with the protesters. He was however stopped by the Tamil Nadu police due to security concerns.
(With Inputs from PTI)