VS rubbishes party remark that his health was poor

 Achuthanandan told newsmen here that he had not excused himself from the contest citing health reasons. “I have not said such a thing,” he said when asked whether there was any truth in the claim made by his party leaders that he had said so.

This went against the reported statement made by party secretary Pinarayi Vijayan at the state committee meeting that Achuthanandan was not contesting owing to ill health.  Later, it was reported that Achuthanandan also repeated this claim though he had himself made it clear at a recent news conference that he would contest if asked by  the party.The party leaders had later conveyed to various district committees Achuthanandan’s “failing health” as the reason why he was not contesting. However, Achuthanandan has now publicly debunked this claim officially put forward by the party to its lower echelons.

Clearly seething at the loss of face, Vijayan on Saturday blamed the media for “conspiring” against the party. “The media has been showing over-enthusiasm in giving the wrong news against Communist parties,” he said at a function to commemorate the late E M S Namboodiripad.