THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The simmering discontent within the ruling Congress over Chief Minister V D Satheesan’s style of functioning spilled into the open on Thursday, with senior leader and UDF convener Adoor Prakash publicly accusing him of taking major decisions unilaterally, keeping both the party and the UDF in the dark.
“Several important decisions were being taken without discussions within the UDF, and I often learn about them from media reports,” he told reporters. He also pointed out that the UDF had not met in recent times, adding that Satheesan, as its chairman, should take the initiative to convene it. “That is not happening,” he said.
The immediate trigger for Prakash’s outburst was media reports on Wednesday’s cabinet decision to appoint IUML leader M K Muneer as chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission (ARC) and Forward Bloc national general secretary G Devarajan as Keralam’s Special Representative in New Delhi, both with cabinet rank.
However, he clarified that both Muneer and Devarajan deserved the posts and that he had nothing against either of them. His objection, he said, was to the lack of consultation within the UDF. Stopping short of accusing Satheesan of hijacking the system, the UDF convener said matters requiring joint consultation must be decided that way.
He also flagged the delay in appointments to various boards and corporations. “The UDF government has been in power for four months, yet most boards and corporations are still headed by appointees of the previous LDF government,” he said.
Later talking to TNIE, Prakash said, “The UDF and the Congress party have become weak, as is evident from the front’s performance in the recent local body byelections. The UDF’s relatively poor performance has dented the image of its government.”
Muraleedharan and Roji rally behind Satheesan
“Had the UDF planned and implemented a strategy, the result would have been better,” Prakash said. He said he would submit a written complaint to the AICC within two weeks.
AICC general secretary K C Venugopal declined to comment on Prakash’s allegations. “I am not responding now. I have always followed the principle of discussing the party’s internal matters within the party. I don’t want to say something to the media and turn it into a public discussion,” he said.
Ministers K Muraleedharan and Roji M John rallied behind the chief minister, saying all government decisions were taken after due consultation. “The appointment of Muneer as ARC chairman was a joint UDF decision.
He is not in the cabinet only because he did not contest the elections due to ill health,” Muraleedharan said. He added that Muneer was now well enough to oversee the responsibilities. “Every Congress worker has the right to voice discontent. Let the high command take a decision,” he said.
Roji declined further comment, saying the CM or AICC leadership would respond to Prakash’s concerns.
Leaders close to Satheesan, however, dismissed the allegations as an attempt to malign the chief minister’s image.
“Prakash may have acted at the behest of leaders unhappy with Satheesan’s chief ministership. The CM had briefed the party’s political affairs committee on the appointments.
Besides, weren’t the decisions taken by a cabinet that includes the KPCC president, two working presidents, a vice-president and the Youth Congress president? How, then, can one claim that the party was kept in the dark?” a leader close to the CM said.
The leader said the IUML, the UDF’s second-largest ally, had been assured the ARC post during talks on Cabinet berths. “It is strange that the UDF convener, whose responsibility is to keep the allies together, is now maligning a longstanding ally,” he said.
‘Cold relationship’
Adoor Prakash said he and V D Satheesan now shared a cold relationship. “We have not even talked over the phone since the first and only UDF meeting after this government came to power...
I came to know about all appointments, be it the film bodies or the ARC, through the media. I have no answer to the questions from allies,” he said.