THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Amid increasing criticism over Gita Gopinath’s appointment as financial adviser to the Chief Minister, veteran leader V.S. Achuthanandan has shot off a letter to the CPM central leadership saying that the appointment was against party stand. Mr Achuthanandan’s letter comes on a day when CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan defended the appointment saying that the decision was taken by the state secretariat.

The appointment of Harvard-based neo liberal market economist Ms Gopinath has come in for sharp criticism from various quarters including Left thinkers. The veteran leader’s letter comes close on the heels of reports that the central leadership was planning to seek a clarification from the state leaders regarding the circumstances that led to the appointment.

He is believed to have pointed out that the appointment was against the well stated position of the CPM against the neo liberal policies. Those close to Mr Achuthanandan stated that the appointment had created confusion in the minds of people, particularly Left supporters. The CPM has been in the forefront of the fight against neo liberal policies of the previous UPA government and the current NDA government led by Narendra Modi.

Struggle against the neo liberal policies also formed part of the party’s major political battle in the country, they said. They opined that at a time when the poor and needy, working class, employees, PSUs and many sections of the society were bearing the brunt of neo liberal anti people policies, bringing in a leading neo liberal economist on board the LDF Chief Minister’s team could not be justified.