Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 10 (IANS) The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) faction led by former Kerala chief minister V.S. Achuthanandan is being decimated, state Congress chief Ramesh Chennithala said Tuesday in a broadside against the opposition party.

Taking potshots at the CPI-M, which is conducting district level meetings, Chennithala said factionalism would not end but the Achuthanandan group would be blown away.

“From what we see and hear about their district committee meetings, what is taking place in their party is that one section of the faction is being murdered… and please don’t mistake it to be a democratic process,” Chennithala said at a party function.

The CPI-M in Kerala has been split between Achuthanandan and party state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan — and over the years, the number of Achuthanandan supporters has been declining.

With 12 of the district committee meetings over and only two more to go, the Achuthanandan faction has already lost grip in Kollam and Pathanamthitta districts and barely managed to cling on at the Ernakulam committee.

In the past, the Achuthanandan faction was dominant in the three districts, while the Vijayan faction was in absolute control in the remaining 11 districts.

“You wait and see, by the end of their state party conference (to be held here Feb 7-10), Achuthanandan would have lost his position and would be part of history,” remarked Chennithala.

Vijayan hit back at Chennithala for his remarks. “What he said is nonsensical. Our party will be strong and united like never before,” he said.