Brushing aside Chief Minister V S Achutanandan's reservations on the issue, the Communist Party of India-Marxist Saturday strongly backed its Kerala leader Pinarayi Vijayan, who faces corruptions in a CBI case on the Lavalin scam, saying it was "politically motivated".
        
".....since the case is political motivated, it is unfortunate that the CBI is not not immune from political pressure in the hands of the ruling party at the Centre," the party Politbureau said in a statement at the end of the meeting.
       
The statement issued by CPM general secretary Prakash Karat after the meeting, which was attended by Achutanandan and his rival Vijayan, said the party has always been of the view that any person holding public office should step down if prosecution is launched by the CBI.
       
"This does not not apply to comrade Vijayan as he is not not a minister or holding any public office.  We will fight the case politically and legally if it comes up in court," it said.
        
While the party feels it is a politically motivated case against Vijayan, the chief minister has refused to toe the line saying as a person in constitutional office he cannot take such a view.