By P. Sreekumaran
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress is back at its bickering best – once again. Kerala is witnessing the party openly indulging in an unseemly tussle over the Chief Minister’s post even before the election results are out!
The party seems to have taken it for granted that the victory of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) is a certainty. The pro-Congress media are also ‘100 per cent sure’ of the UDF staging an electoral comeback in the State.
The ground reality, however, is different. Most of the latest surveys have predicted a third term for the Pinarayi Vijayan-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) Government.
The Congress’s optimism is based on its assumption that there is a strong undercurrent of anti-incumbency against the Government. This factor and the con solidation of the minority vote in favour of the UDF – which again is far from the truth – will deny the LDF a third term.
Let us have a close look at the open bargaining for the Chief Minister’s post. The three main aspirants are Leader of the Opposition (LoP) V. D. Satheesan, Former LoP Ramesh Chennithala and AICC general secretary K. C. Venugopal.. The supporters of the trio have pulled out all the stops to canvass for their candidate ignoring the commands of the Congress High Command.
The first to set the ball rolling in the faction feud was senior party leader and former Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president K. Sudhakaran. KS, as he is widely known, first came out with a statement that he favours Ramesh Chennithala for the CM’s post. He is a senior leader with a wealth of experience and the necessary credentials for the job. Another party veteran P. J. Kurien also identified himself with the opinion voiced by Sudhakaran. The High Command intervened and cautioned party leaders against such open canvassing for a particular leader.
The ‘truce’, however, proved only temporary. The game has been resumed with redoubled vigour. In a neat somersault executed with admirable alacrity, Sudhakaran changed his stance and is now backing K. C. Venugopal for the CM’s post! KC is the best man for the job, says Sudhakaran. He has the organisational skill, which was on show in the election campaign of the Congress in Kerala, KS said, adding that KC is also a man of crisis who is good at finding solutions for even the most ticklish of problems! Venugopal himself did not discourage the guessing game. All that he said was ‘let us wait for the result’.
In the meantime, a VD Satheesan confidant, Mohammed Shiyas, who is contesting from the Ernakulam Assembly constituency, openly rooted for Satheesan. He fell silent only after being reprimanded by the party leadership. But the damage has already been done. The people now know what is in store if the UDF wins the election. Another senior leader A P Anilkumar had a meeting with Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) – a key constituent of the UDF – chief Sadikali Thangal – a meeting which has set tongues wagging that he was seeking support for a particular leader.
Irritated by the ugly infighting, the IUML deplored the public discussions and arguments over who should be the Chief Minister. IUML leader P. M. A. Salam said such open tussle would cause utmost unease and deep discontent among party workers and – more important – the general public. Discussions are OK. But they should not be done in public. It will only affect the morale of the party cadres. The bickering leaders should keep this in mind. That was his ‘sage’ advice.
Congress MP from Kozhikode, M. K. Raghavan, also expressed a similar view. Raghavan made no secret of his displeasure over the public spat indulged in by party leaders even before the declaration of the poll result. Washing dirty linen in public is damaging the party’s reputation and prospects, he opined, adding that the situation is extremely harmful. He singled out Ernakulam District Congress Committee (DCC) chief and Mohammed Shiyas for ‘igniting’ a controversy with his open support for V D Satheesan.
Meanwhile, the IUML seems divided over the Deputy Chief Minister’s post. While a section is not keen on having it, the rival group is keen on securing the post. While the former – the section led by senior leader P. K. Kunhalikutty – admits that the IUML deserves the post. But it will not bargain for the same. The other faction, however, thinks that the party should insist on having the Dy CM’s post as the party ‘deserves’ it. Not only that. The IUML should also demand six ministerial berths, including the Home and Education portfolios! The posts of Dy. Speaker post and the Chief Whip should also be given to the party, this section argues.
The public quarrel over the loaves and fishes of office has come as a powerful weapon for the LDF to be labour the Congress and allies. LDF leaders had warned that a UDF return to power would be nothing short of a political disaster for Kerala, which has witnessed unprecedented development during the decade-long LDF rule. If UDF is back in power, it would undo all the gains and achievements made during the last 10 years. That is a luxury Kerala cannot afford to have. (IPA Service)
