Making it clear that he would not let the CPI(M) central leadership breathe easy on the SNC-Lavalin case, Kerala Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan on Thursday met party general secretary Prakash Karat and, it is learnt, reiterated his demand for the removal of Pinarayi Vijayan, who is facing prosecution in the multi-crore graft case, from all party posts.

Anticipating a possible attack from his detractors during the Politburo and Central Committee meetings beginning Friday, he is also understood to have conveyed to the top leadership that he did not defend Kerala Governor R S Gavai, who gave permission to the CBI to initiate prosecution proceedings against Vijayan overruling the Cabinet’s decision.

Sources said the veteran leader conveyed to Karat and fellow Politburo member Sitaram Yechury that he had not criticised or defended the Governor. His comments that he was not “shocked or surprised” by the Governor’s decision in view of the fact that such things have happened earlier also had been used by his detractors to claim that he was defending Gavai’s decision and hence questioning the party line.

While VS mounted pressure on the central leadership for Vijayan’s removal, it is unlikely that the Politburo and the subsequent meeting of the Central Committee will take a decision on the issue. Since the meetings have primarily been convened to analyse the poll debacle, sources said it is also possible that a separate meeting of the Politburo may be convened later to discuss the Lavalin issue.

With West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee and other leaders from the state attending the Politburo meeting, the happenings in Lalgarh and incidents of post-poll violence in other parts of Bengal will be discussed in detail. Bhattacharjee will also meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Home Minister P Chidambaram during his stay here.

... contd.