Kerala Chief Minister V S Achutanandan has been punished by his party, the CPM. He was dropped from the Politburo -- the CPM's highest decision making body.

But his rival and cause of his troubles, P Vijayan, stays both in the Politburo and as Kerala's CPM chief.

"In view of the violations of the organisational principle and discipline by Comrade V S Achuthanandan, he should be removed from the Politburo," said M K Pandhe, a Politburo member.

The violation by the Chief Minister was not toeing the party line on corruption charges against his rival. On Sunday, the party has given Vijayan a clean chit, even as the case is about to go to trial.

Sources say even though some Central Committee members wanted Vijayan removed as the party's Kerala chief, Vijayan's colleagues from Kerala strongly defended him.

"The Central Committee is of the view that Comrade Pinarayi Vijayan, secretary of the Kerala State Committee and the Electricity Minister in the then LDF government between 1996-98, was not involved in any corrupt practice whatsoever," Pandhe said.

The rivalry had led the CPM to lose several seats in Kerala. Now eyeing the Assembly elections, the party has chosen to back Vijayan -- the man who controls the party in the state over the Chief Minister who is seen to be popular.

"I accept my party's decision," Achuthanandan said.

For now, Achuthanandan has accepted his party's decision. But everyone in Kerala will closely watch his next political move whether he is going to be a disciplined Marxist and pass his remaining tenure without any fresh controversies or he have some other plans.