By IANS,
Kochi (Kerala) : Kerala bureaucrat K. Suresh Kumar Sunday accused the chief minister’s private secretary S. Rajendran of not helping his boss V.S. Achuthanandan. Rajendran had spoken about a coterie at the chief minister’s office.
Speaking at the party state committee meeting Saturday, Rajendran charged Chief Minister Achuthanandan with being surrounded by a coterie that dictated his every action.
Even though Rajendran in his speech never mentioned the name of Suresh Kumar as the key person in Achuthanandan’s coterie, people were aware about whom he was referring to.
Kumar, who is now on central deputation, told mediapersons here that Rajendran never came to the help of Achuthanandan and instead delayed taking action on crucial files.
“Crucial files concerning the proposed Rs.1500 crore (Rs.15 billion) Smart City project and the controversial Killiroor sex scandal case were not taken up by Rajendran. There lacked a proper support system in the office of the chief minister,” Kumar said.
“Neither Rajendran nor K.N. Balagopal (political secretary to the chief minister) rose up to the occasion to come to the help of Achuthanandan,” said Kumar.
Kumar was the additional private secretary to Achuthanandan till middle of last year before he was shunted out after he took a strong stand in the demolition of illegal structures at the Munnar hill station last year.
“Yes, it is true that chief minister used to get in touch with me and vice versa. What is wrong if this happens. Just because I no longer work in the office of the chief minister, doesn’t mean that I cannot speak to him or vice versa. Achuthanandan on many occasions never got the help from his office,” said Kumar.
Senior Congress leader and former minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan said that there was no coordination, and much lack of collective responsibility, in the Left government, which has now been proved correct.
“The office of Achuthanandan for long has been a battle ground wherein the factional feuds in the CPI-M (Communist Party of India-Marxist) took centre stage and it affected the daily running of his office. In the bargain, the people of Kerala suffered and are suffering,” said Radhakrishnan.
The CPI-M in the state is divided between the supporters of Achuthanandan and those who owe allegiance to party state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan.
Last year in May at the height of the factional feud between the two top leaders, both were suspended from the politburo. However, they were reinstated earlier in October last year after agreeing to make peace.