The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Ramesh Chennithala on Monday alleged that the Left Democratic Front and the Government it leads were caught in the mire of multiple factionalism that has paralysed the State administration.
Addressing a meet-the-press programme organised by the Kesari Memorial Journalists? Trust on the occasion of the fourth anniversary of the LDF Government, Mr. Chennithala said the hallmark of the ruling front was differences between parties, ministers, the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues. The cabinet had lost its collective responsibility and the LDF was a directionless ship that would soon sink.
Several coalition partners had been forced to leave, while several social groups which supported the LDF had started abandoning it. This was because of the CPI (M)?s attitude, he said. ?The Chief Minister?s position is pathetic. He is a puppet and none of his colleagues take orders from him. As the team captain, he is becoming weaker,? Mr. Chennithala said.
The KPCC president also trained its gun on the Communist Party of India (Marxist) accusing it of political inconsistency. To substantiate this charge, Mr. Chennithala pointed out to the shifting stand of the party on its relationship with the People?s Democratic Party of Adbul Nazer Maudhani and the Jamaath-e-Islami Hind.
The CPI (M), after seeking the latter?s votes for years has suddenly discovered that the organisation was aspiring for a theocratic state. The party and the LDF have no qualms in taking in the Kerala Congress leader P. C. Thomas who has been disqualified from contesting elections for misusing religion.
The CPI (M) has become a land shark trying to corner prime land in cities, he said listing out such attempts in Kozhikode, Kannur and Ernakulam.
The party had a policy and a clear cut stand in the past, but today, the party was with the affluent sections. This fact was reflected in the way the State was being administered with several pro-poor programmes, both Central and State sponsored, falling by the wayside.
Schemes such as the MGNREGS, Vidharbha-Kuttanad-Idukki packages have not been implemented properly to benefit the poor. The Government had failed to even come out with the list of persons below the poverty line, not to mention distribution of land for the poor tribals.
Plan utilisation was just about 50 per cent. The LDF?s prestigious EMS housing scheme and MN one-lakh housing renovation scheme had run into trouble over differences between the CPI (M) and the CPI. The Government should disclose the actual state of affairs of these two projects, he said.
?The CPI (M)?s priorities had changed. Its character has changed. It has now become the saviour of big business, real estate groups and land mafias?, he said. The KPCC president touched upon the LDF Government?s failure in the Education sector, terming some of the reforms introduced by it as misdirected.
In reply to a question, he said factionalism during the UDF?s rule did not paralyse the State administration. With regard to the Congress differences with the Kerala Congress (M), he said the two parties will further discuss and sort out issues.
?Unlike the CPI (M), which imposes its will on the LDF constituents, the UDF will go through the process of discussion to iron out differences,? he said. Mr. Chennithala also fielded questions on his party?s stand on the widening of the NH 47 and Mr. Muraleedharan?s prospects of being re-admitted to the party. ?We are not afraid of Mr. Muraleedharan. The question of his entry to the party will be decided by the high command on completion of the current expulsion order,? he said.
The party did not want to lose the national highways development projects. The Centre?s repeated stand on widening the road to 45 meters has created a new situation. The onus was on the State Government to take the necessary steps to ensure the State does not lose the NH development, through a package of compensation, rehabilitation etc that would reduce the woes of the displaced people.
