The Hindu : Kerala News : Local-level tie-ups a major worry for Congress

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 15, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Local-level tie-ups a major worry for Congress

By K. Venkiteswaran

KOCHI, APRIL 14. Adjustments at the local body level, especially between the `I' faction in the Congress and the CPI(M), are proving to be a major worry for the Congress at least in the four major Lok Sabha constituencies of Thrissur, Mukundapuram, Ernakulam and Muvattupuzha.

It was only last week that a rebel Congress candidate (reportedly owing allegiance to the Karunakaran faction) got elected as Deputy Mayor of the Thrissur Corporation with CPI(M) support. In one of the panchayats in Wadakkancherry, where a byelection to the State Assembly is scheduled along with the Parliament elections, an `I' faction leader has become president of the civic body with CPI(M) support. At the State level, similar tie-ups exist at least in 200 panchayats, numerous cooperative societies and 15 municipalities. Its fallout would be reflected in at least 14 Parliamentary constituencies in the State if the Congress fails to give a credible explanation to the phenomenon of having understanding with the CPI(M) at the local level even while fighting it in the general elections.

Congress campaign managers have been meeting off and on to thrash out the issue, but it has got to be solved urgently in view of the May 10 elections.

The Vypeen block panchayat president, C.N. Devassikutty, was expelled from the party some time ago by the DCC president for retaining his post with CPI(M) support. But because of the group equations in the Congress, Mr. Devassikutty was reinstated by the then KPCC president, K. Muraleedharan. Now Mr. Devassikutty has become a rallying point in Ernakulam district for those local body office-bearers who continue to be in office with CPI(M) or LDF support.

The problem is most acute in Ernakulam district, where at least in four municipalities, three block panchayats and 12 grama panchayats the `I' faction is in power with the covert or overt support of the CPI(M). The municipalities are Kothamangalam , Muvattupuzha, Parur and Angamaly.

Trouble started at Vengola panchayat (the turf of the present KPCC president, P.P. Thankachan) four months ago when an `I' faction leader was propped up as president of the civic body with CPI(M) support. Mr. Thankachan's explanation then was that this was a forerunner to the understanding that might shape up at the State level. During the Ernakulam byelection last September, the talk of the town was that the `I' faction was not averse even to an open tie-up with the CPI(M) to topple the Antony Government. Such developments in the local bodies were given justification with this end in view and the `I' faction was in the forefront in grabbing power.

Last week, the KPCC president, addressing a meeting of Congress workers, urged them to break such tie-ups with the CPI(M) to play an effective political role in the general elections. The sub-committee constituted at the district level under the chairmanship of the District Congress Committee (DCC) president has also been urging the party workers not to have any trucks with the Left. Some of the office-bearers were proceeded against in the meantime for defying the leadership's diktat. However, the `A' faction has been up in arms against "selective disciplinary action" and alleged that the KPCC president himself got elected as director of IFFCO with the support of the CPI(M).

The ongoing tussle has considerably hampered the campaigning in Ernakulam district and the UDF candidate, Edward Edezhathu, is finding the going tough. It is said that most of the Antony supporters in the district have migrated to Idukki to campaign for Benny Behnan. Some of the erstwhile reformists have gone to Chirayinkeezhu for canvassing votes for M.I. Shanawas. The ardent supporters of the Karunakaran faction are camping at Mukundapuram for Padmaja Venugopal. Mr. Edezhathu, who belongs to neither group, has to fend for himself in the unfamiliar political turf.

It is pointed out that at an election committee meeting of the UDF at Thripunithura recently, the leaders on the dais outnumbered those in the audience initially.

By all accounts, it has become an uphill task for the UDF candidate in Ernakulam constituency to rope in the support of the entire spectrum of the Congress and ensure that the traditional UDF votes do not seep away to the rival camp.

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