The CPM will not give up easily on Lavalin issue

By O J George

Kottayam: The CBI filed an application before Governor R.S.Gavai seeking sanction for prosecution of CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, who in his capacity as the-then Power Minister dealt with the SNC Lavalin company for renovation of three power stations.

Irregularities have been alleged in the deal. The CBI has found him responsible.

The Governor, in turn, sought the views of the government on the issue of sanction for prosecution.

The case was referred to Advocate-General C P Sudhakara Prasad, a party supporter. The AG in his opinion found that no sanction need be given for prosecution of Pinarayi. The AG also said Pinarayi was not guilty.

The AG’s opinion was forwarded to the Governor as the opinion of the government. The Governor sought the legal opinion from various other sources and ultimately gave his sanction for prosecution.

The government has not taken kindly to the action of the Governor.

Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan has not opposed the Governor’s action. But today Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has questioned the action of the Governor.

The ostensible objection was to the non-availability of the Governor’s sanction with the government.

The letter was given to the CBI and the media. Even after two days of issuing the order, the Governor did not give a copy to the government.

Kodiyeri argued that the Governor, if not in agreement with the advice of the Cabinet, should have returned the same to the Cabinet. It was for the Cabinet to reconsider the issue.

The action of the Governor in question was unconstitutional. The Governor should have informed the government on what basis he bypassed the advice of the government.

Also he should have cited the reasons for giving sanction for prosecution.

The government could not move further without getting the copy of the Governor’s sanction.

Within no time the Home Minister finished his press conference in which he bashed the Governor’s action, a copy of the sanction was made available to the Chief Minister.

That the CPM is not going to give up easily is highlighted by the fact that the same arguments are given out from various quarters at the same time.

LDF convener Vaikom Viswan also conducted a press conference using stronger words than the Home Minister against the Governor.

Minister A K Balan, who is close to Pinarayi Vijayan, has observed that groupism in the party was behind the exposure of the Lavalin issue.

Education Minister M A Baby has pointed out that Pinarayi Vijayan would not step down as party state secretary. Simultaneously, legal steps would be taken in this regard.


The coming days would witness loud protest from different quarters of the party owing allegiance to Pinarayi Vijayan.

However, Chief Minister V S Achuthanandan had made it clear that the politburo would discuss the Lavalin issue in detail. The politburo is scheduled to meet on June 19.

There could be bitter arguments in the politburo for and against the ouster of Pinarayi Vijayan as state secretary of the party.

Earlier, the state secretariat had urged the central leadership to remove V S Achuthanandan from Chief Ministership.

Any way, the party is being buffeted severely by the Lavalin issue. This will not die down so easily. Concerted action is essential on the part of the party to come out of the confusion.