'Bomb' in CPI(M), not our party, says Congress in Kerala on CM Vijayan's veiled attack on party infighting

Thiruvananthapuram: A day after Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan termed to a 'bomb' a reference to senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala being the next CM of the state, the grand old party on Thursday hit back by saying that the 'bomb' was in the CPI(M).

The CM on Wednesday took a veiled dig at the Kerala unit of Congress by saying that Chennithala being referred to as the next chief minister was a "bomb" which will create major problems in the grand old party.

Chennithala was introduced as the next CM of Kerala by the person who had delivered the welcome speech at a programme organised here to felicitate industrialist B Ravi Pillai, which was also attended by Vijayan.

On Thursday, brushing aside the Marxist veteran's remarks, Leader of Opposition in the state assembly, V D Satheesan, said no one, including him, in the Congress was the chief ministerial candidate.

Hitting back at the chief minister, Satheesan referred to the factionalism existing within the CPI(M) in the state and said that Vijayan should refrain from making such jokes, as everyone is aware that during the 2006 Assembly polls, an attempt was made to deny a seat to veteran leader V S Achuthanandan, who then had to approach the politburo for a ticket.

He further contended that Vijayan, who was then the state secretary of the CPI(M), decided against the Left forming a government in 2011, because he thought Achuthanandan might become the CM.

Chennithala said there was no difference of opinion within the party on the issue and that everyone is moving forward, united, by focusing on the upcoming panchayat elections in the state.

"There is no bomb in our party. The bomb is there in the CPI(M). The CM should be concerned about when it will explode," he said.

The senior Congress leader also said that he did not respond to Vijayan's remarks at the event itself as he did not want to mar the dignity of the programme.