Kerala CPI (M) rejects reports on a substitute for Balakrishnan

Thiruvananthapuram : The CPI-M in Kerala on Thursday dismissed reports that it was looking for a new state party secretary as the present chief Kodiyeri Balakrishnan was going for treatment to the US.

In a single line statement, the party state Secretariat here said Balakrishnan had not applied for leave and media reports in this regard were "baseless."

Party secretary Sitaram Yechury also denied such reports and rubbished it as just media speculation.

"All this media speculation is without any basis. He (Balakrishnan) is already in office and will continue his duty," he said when reporters sought his reaction in New Delhi.

Regional newspapers and channels had reported that the left party was looking for a successor to Balakrishnan, the second strongman in the state CPI-M after chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan, as he had applied for leave for undergoing treatment.

Meanwhile, Balakrishnan, who recently returned to Kerala after some medical examination in US, on Thursday met Chief Minister Vijayan at the AKG Centre here and held discussions.

Neither Vijayan nor Balakrishnan spoke to the media.