By P. Sreekumaran
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: There is no denying it. The opposition to the Chief Minister V D Satheesan’s style of functioning is gathering momentum within the Congress itself.
The latest party leader to take exception to Satheesan’s arbitrary decision-making is the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) spokesperson V. R. Anoop. He has made no secret of his displeasured over the CM’s blunt refusal to meet Kerala Students Union(KSU) president Aloshious Xavier.
The KSU is particularly unhappy that while the Chief Minister had the courtesy and time to allow a meeting with Hindu Aikya Vedi leaders R. V. Babu and K. P. Sasikala, he refused to extend the same courtesy to the KSU president and KPCC general secretary P. M. Niyas. Anoop said that ‘it is their government too’. The Congress won the assembly election thanks to the unflinching support of the KPCC and the KSU, reminded a visibly angry . Anoop.
Niyas had sought a meeting with Satheesan to convey his displeasure over the appointment of N. Sashidharan, who is known for his connections to the Sangh Parivar, as the State Election Commissioner. He is still awaiting a call from the CM’s office! The incident is being interpreted as Satheesan’s soft corner for the Sangh Parivar.
Anoop further said that all he is asking for is for the CM to allow time to meet Xavier and Niyas. The Chief Minister, he said, is taking a democratic approach. It is good. My only request is that he exercise the same democratic, open-minded approach and meet Xavier and Niyas. “I am only expressing the sentiment of ordinary Congress members,” he added.
It is clear that Satheesan’s antipathy to Anoop is because he is known as an ardent supporter of AICC general secretary (organization) K. C. Venugopal. “Venugopal is not an alien. He is as much my leader as Satheesan is.” Anoop is on record. It may be mentioned that the KSU is particularly incensed over Satheesan’s sarcastic remark that the KSU has nothing to do with the appointment of Government pleaders.
It is not as if only Congress leaders belonging to the Venugopal camp are being critical of the CM. Another Congress leader who has joined the growing chorus of criticism against Satheesan is Raju P. Nair, who is a close confidant of Satheesan. Nair said Satheesan’s prompt meeting with Hindu Aikya Verdi leaders “was not very innocent,” adding that ”people in prominent positions must conduct themselves accordingly.” Nair has been constrained to air his resentment because party leaders are going out of the way to be deferential to Sangh Parivar leaders. This, he feels, is totally unacceptable to ordinary members of the Congress.
The opposition to Satheesan’s style of functioning is not confined to the Congress. Samastha Jamaithul-Ulema, the largest body of Islamic scholars in the State, has also been critical of the way Government leaders are being appointed. Samastha is the main supporter of the Indian Union Muslim League, the second most powerful constituent of the Congress-led united Democratic Front (UDF).
The IUML itself is on the horns of a dilemma following the Kerala High Court’s decision to freeze the functioning of the Kerala State Wakf Board on the ground that it was constituted in violation of the Unified Wakf Management, Empowerment, Efficiency and Development(UMEED) Act, or the Wakf(Amendment) Act, 2025.
The amended law enjoins the appointment of two non-Muslim members and one Shia member on State Wakf Boards. The Kerala Wakf board has neither. The order has brought the IUML’s opposition to the amended law into conflict with the stance of the UDF Government. The IUML, it may be mentioned, had strongly opposed the inclusion of two non-Muslim members on the Wakf Board when the Union Government enacted the amended law. What has come as a shock to the IUML is the State Government’s submission to the High Court that it would constitute the Board in accordance with the Act!
This is a decision which will please the Hindutva camp. Adding insult to injury is the stand of Wakf Minister N. Shamsudheen, an IUML leader, that the Government would comply with the law while constituting the Wakf Board! This has forced IUML president Sadiq Ali Thangal himself to state that IUML ministers themselves are acting against the party stand on the issue. In fact, he has convened a meeting of the party to discuss ‘policy matters’.
Meanwhile, the Wakf Board is planning to challenge the High Court order in the Supreme Court. Wakf Board member Umer Faizi Mukkom has accused the UDF Government of backing the BJP’s position on the issue. The provision for two non-Muslim members reflected the BJP agenda and the State government is implementing it! The State government seems to be working hand in glove with the BJP on the Wakf issue. That was the caustic remark made by Umer Faizi. The outburst is reflective of the growing resentment of the Muslim community over the CM’s appeasement approach to the Hindutva camp. No wonder, the saffron camp is all praise for Satheesan’s pro-BJP decisions. (IPA Service)
