Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister and CPI(M) veteran V S Achuthanandan on Monday rubbished reports that his party Politburo had decided to pull him up over the lottery issue.
"I don`t know anything about it. Do you think that my party would take a stand against strong measures taken by my Government to contain lottery tycoons?" he told journalists here.
He was reacting to queries on reports that the Politburo had yesterday decided to censure him within the party for side stepping the state leadership in writing to the Centre for a CBI probe into irregularities in operation of Bhutan lotteries.
CPI(M) Politburo member S Ramachandran Pillai told reporters in Delhi that no decision has been taken to initiate disciplinary action against Achuthanandan.
"The Politburo has not taken any such decision. We have not discussed the issue. Reports contrary to that are false," Pillai said.
The chief minister asserted that no leniency would be shown towards lottery tycoons who "plundered" the common man, adding, "You all know my avowed position on issues like this...At no cost will such plunderers be allowed to operate in the state."
Asked about party state secretary Pinaryi Vijayan`s comment that the party was not consulted before writing to the Centre for a probe, he said, "I am not going to discuss the matter with you and create a controversy."
"I have thoroughly studied all aspects of the issue before taking the steps on it."
Asked if he thought that the discussions on the issue in the Politburo had been deliberately leaked out to media, he shot back saying, "How could something that does not exist be leaked?"
"Party general secretary Prakash Karat also did not say anything during his briefing. Do you think my party will disapprove stern actions taken by the LDF Government against a lottery king," he asked.
PTI
