Peeved Achuthanandan yet to take up offered state post

Thiruvananthapuram: Former Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan is peeved ever since he was sidelined by the CPI-M for the chief minister's position in the state and was succeeded by his arch rival Pinarayi Vijayan.

The 92-year-old veteran has not yet taken up the post of Chairperson of the 4th Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) that was cleared by the central leadership of the party and the state cabinet and offered to him in July.

The Kerala assembly last month in an amendment to the 1951 Legislators Act had given the status of a state cabinet minister's position to the post offered to Achuthanandan.

However, even 28 days after the formal appointment to it, the constitutional post remains vacant.

When asked by reporters on Monday, the veteran politician retorted with: "That you should ask those who (Vijayan) made the appointment. Let them say."

The former Chief Minister has been acting indifferent towards the position as even after leading his party to victory in the last election, he was given the status of 'Kerala's Fidel Castro', stunning many.

The order appointing him to the state ARC had stated that Achuthanandan could have 14 personal staff, an official residence and a car.

Incidentally, this is the fourth time that this Commission has been set up, the first was in 1957, when the legendary E.M.S. Nampoothirpad was the Chief Minister and also the ARC Chairman.

Then in 1965, when the state came under President's Rule, senior civil service officer M.K. Velodi headed it, and in 1997 when E.K.Nayanar was the Chief Minister, he headed it.

This is the first time that a legislator would be heading the commission.

With this all eyes are now on Vijayan as the veteran politician has put the ball in the Chief Minister's court.

Last week, Achuthanandan also refused to comment on Vijayan completing 100 days in office, and said that it was not yet time to evaluate the government.