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LDF meet decides to target Speaker

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Oct. 14. The Opposition Left Democratic Front (LDF) has decided to go ahead with its plans to target the Speaker, Vakkom Purushothaman, even while holding fire on the internal squabbles in the Congress.

Leaders of the LDF parties, who met for a brief while here today, decided to observe caution when commenting individually and collectively on the factional divide in the Congress and the Karunakaran faction's reported demand for a leadership change in Government.

Only the Leader of the Opposition, V.S. Achuthanandan, the CPI(M) State secretary, Pinarayi Vijayan, the CPI State secretary, Veliyam Bhargavan, the RSP State secretary, T. J. Chandrachoodan, and the KC(J) general secretary, K.C. Joseph, were present at today's meeting which was convened at short notice. The meeting lasted barely half-an-hour. The LDF panel would meet again on Thursday to take a final decision on the twin issues of factionalism in the Congress and a possible attempt to seek removal of the Speaker.

The general mood of the Opposition leadership is in favour of seeking removal of the Speaker, but the leaders are also keen that it should not be seen something linked to the ongoing power struggle within the Congress. Of course, the Opposition game plan would succeed only if the Karunakaran faction is able to muster the numbers to get any resolution, that the Opposition might ultimately decide to move, adopted by the Assembly.

The Karunakaran faction is angry with the Speaker because of the role he is perceived to have played in the choice of candidate for the Ernakulam Lok Sabha by-election and the earlier move against some Karunakaran faction MLAs. Opinion is divided within the LDF on whether the Karunkaran faction could be depended upon to produce the necessary numbers. But even the doubting Thomases feel that a motion targeting the Speaker would precipitate the crisis in the Congress. What they did not want to see happening is Mr. Karunakaran using their spirit of adventure to negotiate his way to success in the faction war in the Congress.

At the meeting, the leader of at least one party openly spoke against leaders shooting from their hips on the question of allies in a possible alternative Government. He did do by way of cautioning his Front colleagues about the possible fallout of such, often conflicting, statements as had been made by some leaders during the last few days. The reference, obviously, was to the statements made by Mr. Achuthanandan and Mr. Bhargavan on whether or not the Muslim League could be part of an alternative arrangement.

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