CPI-M to field Achuthanandan and Pinarayi Vijayan in polls

Thiruvananthapuram: CPI-M's state secretariat is understood to have accepted the recommendation of the party's central leadership to field marxist veteran VS Achuthanandan and politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan in the May 16 assembly polls from the state, party sources said.

The central leadership has recommended fielding both the leaders for the assembly polls and the state secretariat, which met here for the second day, is understood to have accepted the recommendation, the sources said.

93-year-old Achutanandan had represented Malampzuha constituency in Palakkad district three times-- 2001, 2006 and 2011. Pinarayi Vijayan's name was recommended by the party's Kannur district unit, the sources said.

Besides Vijayan, five other state Secretariat members- Thomas Issac, A K Balan, E P Jayarajan, T P Ramakrishnan and M M Mani, will be contesting the polls.

After the two-day Secretariat meeting, the state committee will be held here tomorrow after which a final picture on the candidates is likely to emerge. CPI-M General secretary, Sitaram Yechury, senior leaders and politburo members Prakash Karat and S Ramachandran Pillai are among those attending the meeting.

A three-day crucial meeting of the CPI(M) had commenced here yesterday to discuss various poll strategies, including whether or not to field Achuthanandan in the assembly polls. Party state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan had earlier stated that the party list will be released by March 20 along with that of other LDF partners.