KOCHI: The state unit of the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP-SP), a constituent of the LDF, is in dilemma as Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has cold-shouldered its demand to elevate Kuttanad MLA Thomas K Thomas as minister.
NCP-SP state president and national working president P C Chacko has taken a tough stand that colleague and forest minister A K Saseendran should step down honouring the party decision. However, Saseendran said the move will strain the relationship between the NCP-SP, a long time ally of the LDF, and the CPM.
Though Chacko had opposed Thomas’s demand to share ministership a year ago, he changed his stand six months ago. Meanwhile, it is learnt that Pinarayi is not willing to replace Saseendran, who shares a good rapport with him. Allegations against Thomas also prompted the CPM to not heed the party’s demand to change the minister.
Responding to rumours on withdrawing minister, Chacko told TNIE that the party wants to give Thomas a chance. “I cannot comment on withdrawing minister as the CM has not responded to our demand. The party executive decided to appoint Thomas K Thomas as minister and Saseendran was part of the move,” he said.
However, Saseendran told TNIE that he was not in favour of his party wasting its cabinet representation. “I am ready to obey the party decision to step down from the cabinet. However, we should ensure Thomas gets a ministerial berth,” he said, adding that the CM had voiced his opposition when news about the withdrawing of ministership appeared in the media.
“I had communicated this with the party leadership. However, Chacko has taken it as a prestige issue and wants to go without representation in the cabinet. I cannot support the move as it will strain the relationship between the NCP and the CPM,” he said.
Saseendran said he had met the CM with Chacko and Thomas in November to convey the party decision to give the latter a chance. “The CM was not in favour of appointing Thomas as minister.
He said the party can withdraw me, but it will have to go without representation in the cabinet. Sharad Pawar (the NCP-SP supremo) had invited me, Chacko and Thomas to Mumbai to discuss the issue. I asked Pawarji why should I resign if Thomas is not going to get ministerial berth. If there is any chance of Thomas getting the berth, I am ready to resign. I told him the decision to unilaterally withdraw its representative from the cabinet will not be good for the party,” he explained.