Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 1 (PTI) The Congress-led UDF government in Keralam is facing its first major internal rift barely four months into its tenure, with senior Congress leader and convener of the front Adoor Prakash on Thursday openly questioning Chief Minister V D Satheesan’s style of functioning.
His complaint that key decisions are being taken without consultation, UDF meetings are not being held and that he himself is learning about important developments through the media points to a widening gap in coordination between the CM, the Congress organisation and coalition partners.
Addressing a press conference at the KPCC headquarters here, Prakash said the UDF had not met for quite some time and blamed Satheesan, who is also the front’s chairman, for not taking the initiative to convene a meeting.
“There has been no UDF meeting in the last few days. As UDF chairman, it is the CM who has to take the initiative. Since he has not communicated anything, we have not been able to convene another UDF meeting,” he said.
“There are many issues that have to be discussed and decisions taken,” Prakash said, adding that he was often unable to answer questions from journalists and party workers about government and UDF matters because he himself had not been informed.
“Many of you ask me about various issues in my capacity as UDF convener. But I have not got an opportunity to give proper answers on many of these matters,” he said.
Prakash said his criticism was not aimed at individuals appointed to various posts but at the manner in which the decisions were taken.
The immediate issue was understood to be the reported Cabinet-rank appointments of IUML leader M K Muneer as chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission and Forward Bloc leader G Devarajan as Keralam’s special representative in New Delhi.
Prakash said the UDF had not discussed the appointments and that he had not been informed about them.
The UDF convener said he was not saying that those chosen for the posts were not eligible.
“But as UDF convener, I was not informed in any manner about these matters, either through a discussion or even that such a decision was going to be taken,” he said.
Prakash said he would take up his grievances with the Congress high command, pointing out that the AICC had appointed him UDF convener.
“I have no reason to hide these matters. I am sharing them with you because people should also know about them,” he said.
“I also want to inform you that I will find a way to convey my displeasure over these matters to the All India Congress Committee,” he added.
The UDF coordination committee had met on July 30, and sources said there had been an understanding that such meetings would be held regularly and that detailed discussions would be held on policy matters.
But those plans did not materialise, according to the sources.
The senior Congress leader linked the lack of coordination to the UDF’s performance in the recent local body bypolls.
He said the front had failed to make expected gains in some wards and that the lack of coordination was one of the issues that needed to be discussed. The UDF won 18 of the 38 wards where bypolls were held.
Prakash referred to the controversy surrounding Satheesan’s chartered flight journey to Malappuram and said the CM had a responsibility to explain the circumstances to the public.
“Whether it is right or wrong is not the issue. The CM has a responsibility to clear the doubts that have been raised over these matters and convince the people,” he said.
“When such matters come up, the people should be convinced. That is all,” he added.
Prakash’s remarks have brought internal differences in the ruling front into the open at a relatively early stage of the government’s tenure.
Senior Congress leaders, however, sought to keep the issue within the party and front forums.
AICC general secretary (Organisation) K C Venugopal indicated that matters meant to be discussed within the party should be discussed there, while Benny Behanan said issues concerning the party and the UDF should be raised at the appropriate forums.
Senior IUML leader Muneer, whose appointment triggered part of the discussion, also said he had not lobbied for the post and that he would wait for an official Cabinet briefing before commenting on the decision.
“I am not someone who has been pursuing or lobbying for such a post,” Muneer said.
“Once the Cabinet briefing is held and we know what exactly happened inside the Cabinet, we can speak officially about it,” he added.
Prakash maintained that his public remarks were not a personal attack on Satheesan but a reflection of his responsibilities as UDF convener. PTI LGK TGB SSK
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