The Hindu : Kerala / Thiruvananthapuram News : KPCC forms coordination cell

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Monday, Jun 15, 2009
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Kerala

Kerala - Thiruvananthapuram

KPCC forms coordination cell

Special Correspondent

MPs to ensure follow-up of development initiatives

— Photo: S. Mahinsha

Union Ministers A.K. Antony, Vayalar Ravi, Shashi Tharoor and K.V. Thomas have breakfast with Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala and Kodikunnil Suresh, MP, at a reception organised by the District Congress Committee in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) on Sunday set up a coordination committee of its Members of Parliament to follow up Central projects and investments in Kerala.

Addressing a press conference here after a joint meeting of the newly elected MPs, office-bearers of the KPCC and the Congress Legislature Party, KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala said the decision to set up the cell was taken in order to ensure better coordination between the party and the MPs in the larger interests of the State’s development. He said the cell would work in tandem with the party and the Congress Legislature Party. The party MLAs would raise issues that needed the State government’s attention, while the MPs would follow up projects with the Union government.

According to KPCC sources, the decision was taken after considerable deliberations, as the party did not want to lose the initiative it had got in the recent Lok Sabha elections. While opposing the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government’s policies and politically taking on the Communist Party of India (Marxist) at the grassroots level, the party wanted to project itself as a constructive Opposition rather than a destructive force.

The leadership meeting accused the LDF government and its Ministers “of sponsoring anarchy” and “preparing conditions for constitutional crisis” just to “bury an important corruption case.”

Mr. Chennithala said the meeting condemned the attempts of the CPI(M) to undermine all constitutional bodies just because these institutions had delivered a verdict against the party in the SNC-Lavalin case.

He said the Governor had adopted all fair steps in good faith while seeking the State Cabinet’s advice.

“It is quite evident that the Governor had used his discretion in taking such a decision [to give permission to prosecute [CPI(M) State secretary and former Power Minister Pinarayi Vijayan] on the basis of the divergent stand the Chief Minister and leaders of the LDF constituents, the CPI and the RSP, had taken on the issue,” he said.

The charge that the Governor had succumbed to external pressure and the UDF had influenced the Governor’s decision was “childish.” The Governor was influenced more by the Chief Minister and the LDF partners’ stand, he said.

Mr. Chennithala said the Ministers and Government’s approach to the Governor’s decision was unfortunate. If the Ministers wanted to criticise the Governor, who was their appointing authority, it would be better for them to do so after resigning from office.

The Ministers, by violating the constitutional provisions, were inviting a constitutional crisis, he said.

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