Coming under attack from colleagues, the 88-year-old leader had no other option but to admit that taking divergent stands from the party's line was a "mistake" on his part.
According to party sources, Achuthanandan faced severe criticism in the CPI(M) state committee meeting which concluded today for pledging open support to the agitation demanding closure of the KNPP and even making an attempt to visit Kudankulam in Tamil Nadu.
Many of those in the committee also found fault with the senior leader for comparing party state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan to S A Dange who presided over the split in the undivided CPI in 1964.
Asked about the development, party state secretary Vijayan told reporters that "VS himself will respond to your queries and doubts."
"Whatever things to be said publicly on the issue has already been stated by the central leadership. VS himself will respond to your remaining questions", he added.
A founder-leader of CPI(M) and a former Chief Minister, Achuthanandan has been censured by the party Central Committee twice in last three months, first over the "Dange" remark and then on the Kudankulam issue.
While CPI-M disagrees with anti-nuclear energy campaigners' demand for closing down the Kudankulam plant, Achuthanandan had often stated openly that he firmly believed that nuclear plants are dangerous anywhere in the world.
