The CPI(M) in Kerala Saturday played down the issue of the party's official daily carrying an advertisement issued by a controversial businessman, during the party plenum in Palakkad.

While senior leader V S Achuthanandan sized on the issue to take a dig at the state leadership, CPI(M) state Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan accused the party's enemies and "rightist media" of blowing up things during the plenum that concluded yesterday.

"There were attempts by the party's enemies and the rightist media to create confusion during the plenum. Now that the plenum has been conducted successfully and the party emerged stronger, they are trying to kick up an unnecessary controversy", Vijayan said at a function in Perumbavoor.

"Though Deshabhimani is a party daily, it is not run on party funds. Like any other publication it was run on the strength of circulation and advertisement revenue, the CPI(M) leader said.

The daily had carried an advertisement issued by a Palakkad-based businessman, facing a CBI probe in connection with the suicide of an employee of a public sector company and his two sons.

The advertisement displayed the photograph of the businessman wishing success to the plenum, called to work out plans to strengthen the party and the ideological and ethical moorings of its members.