Thiruvananthapuram: In a huge embarrassment for the CPM that is known for its tough anti-US stance, whistleblower website WikiLeaks claims that in August 2008, top CPM leaders in Kerala sought a senior US diplomat's help in attracting private investment from America. This was just a month after the Left withdrew its support to the UPA government over the Indo-US nuclear deal.
WikiLeaks claims that according to cables sent by the US Political Counsellor, the then Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan told the visiting American diplomat about the CPM's "interest in attracting US investment to Kerala."
The cables sent to the US State Department also quote Achuthanandan's rival and CPM State Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan as saying, "We have no problems with American companies, no hesitations at all."
The secret cables also state that Vijayan's close aides and senior CPM leaders Thomas Isaac and MA Baby "made spirited efforts to convince the US official that Leninist economic principles permit FDI".
The party has now defended its stand. "Whatever position we took during the discussions with US delegates was according to our party line," said TM Thomas Isaac, a CPM Central Committee member.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) seized this opportunity and said "this shows the party's double standards.
"It has become a fashion for the CPM to attack the US on all issues. Then, it wants investments from private business houses in America. This shows the party's double standards," said KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala,
The CPM has in the past used the US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks to corner the UPA government on various issues, but the same cables are now back to embarrass the party.
WikiLeaks claims that according to cables sent by the US Political Counsellor, the then Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan told the visiting American diplomat about the CPM's "interest in attracting US investment to Kerala."
The cables sent to the US State Department also quote Achuthanandan's rival and CPM State Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan as saying, "We have no problems with American companies, no hesitations at all."
The secret cables also state that Vijayan's close aides and senior CPM leaders Thomas Isaac and MA Baby "made spirited efforts to convince the US official that Leninist economic principles permit FDI".
The party has now defended its stand. "Whatever position we took during the discussions with US delegates was according to our party line," said TM Thomas Isaac, a CPM Central Committee member.
Meanwhile, the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) seized this opportunity and said "this shows the party's double standards.
"It has become a fashion for the CPM to attack the US on all issues. Then, it wants investments from private business houses in America. This shows the party's double standards," said KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala,
The CPM has in the past used the US diplomatic cables released by WikiLeaks to corner the UPA government on various issues, but the same cables are now back to embarrass the party.
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