CPI(M) secretariat meeting begins in Kerala

A two-day meeting of the CPI-M state secretariat began here this afternoon to discuss issues relating to the coming assembly elections and to finalise the candidature of its key leaders including chief minister VS Achuthanandan.

The CPI(M) polit bureau and central committee had the other day authorised the party state committee to prepare the list of prominent leaders who should be contesting the polls.

The question of who will lead the LDF campaign in Kerala in the poll has become a topic of debate after the CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat made it clear that Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee would lead the Front in West Bengal.

Karat had also said that and it was for the party leadership in Kerala to take a decision on fielding Achuthanandan again.

A section in the party is reportedly for fielding both Achuthanandan and the party state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, who is a polit bureau member.

Karat is attending the crucial meeting, which will continue tomorrow followed by the state committee meeting.

The party would also discuss the strategies for the election campaign and the seats to be allotted to other partners of the Left Democratic Front. The LDF state liaison committee is slated to meet on March 9.

The CPI(M) had contested in 91 seats in the 2006 polls, while CPI, the other major partner in LDF contested in 24 seats. RSP, NCP, Janata Dal, Kerala Congress (PC Thomas faction) and Congress-S are the other partners of the Front.