THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress came out of its shell on Tuesday,as expected,on the face of sharp criticism aired by leaders of UDF minor constituents against the disunity and opposite pulls in the state leadership.
The state liaison committee meet of the Opposition front held here announced a slew of campaigns and agitations in the end. Rallying behind former chief minister Oommen Chandy’s suggestion to put forth a demand before the Prime Minister to convene a meeting of Chief Ministers to discuss state-specific issues which have risen over demonetisation,the meet also decided that if the demand is rejected,the UDF will ask the Congress president to organise a meeting of Chief Ministers of non-BJP ruled states.
IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty didn’t mince words while underscoring that unless the Congress leadership buried the hatchet,no agitation of the UDF is going to be effective. N K Premachandran MP (RSP), Varughese George (JD-U),Johny Nellore (KC-J) and C P John (CMP) also spoke in the same vein,pointing out that group war in the Congress is killing the UDF drive, though lot of agitations were staged on various issues in the last six months.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala,KPCC president V M Sudheeran and Oommen Chandy yielded to the sentiments expressed by leaders of constituent parties for unity in the Congress and intensifying agitations. A state-level UDF convention will be held at the Central stadium here on February 1 to declare an agitation course against the State and Central Governments.
Briefing mediapersons on the deliberations and decisions of the meet,Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said the political scenario in the state was discussed in detail. “The Chief Minister is running away from addressing the ration sector crisis,issues in the KSRTC and even failed to keep the police under his control. Pinarayi Vijayan has proved to be a totally weak Chief Minister,” he said.The Prime Minister has failed to solve the post-demonetisation crisis in the country even after the 50 days demanded by him. RBI has not announced any concession nor steps have been taken to end the stalemate in the state’s co-operative sector,” the meet observed.
The Opposition leader asked the CPM leadership as to what they have to say in the quick verification ordered against Minister J Mercykutty Amma in the raw cashew import scam. “Corruption totalling Rs 10.43 crore has been detected. Does the CPM hold its earlier stand that one should quit ministership if a QV is ordered in a case of corruption,” he asked. The UDF meet also asked the CPM central committee to come up with a stand on the continuation of a murder case accused like M M Mani in the cabinet. “The state committee is supportive to Mani, perhaps fearing adverse verdicts in some other cases also,” he said,in an apparent reference to the SNC-Lavalin case involving Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, which is slated for hearing in the court soon. UDF convenor P P Thankachan was also present at the news conference.
The UDF meet decided to hold a meeting of district co-operative bank presidents on January 5,to chalk out a course of action in the co-operative sector crisis,on its own. Thirteen out of 14 district banks are controlled by the UDF. On January 18,co-operative sector activists under the UDF fold will picket the Raj Bhavan. District Collectorates will be picketed on January 24 to highlight the issue.
Ramesh said that prior to the state-level convention on February 1,leaders’ meet will be held in various districts,during January 7-17.