The Hindu : Kerala News : Chances for polarisation brighten: IFDP

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Sep 01, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Chances for polarisation brighten: IFDP

By Our Staff Reporter

KOCHI, AUG. 31. The Indian Federal Democratic Party (IFDP) leader and former Union Minister of State, P.C. Thomas, MP, has said that chances of a new political polarisation in the State are becoming brighter in the present context.

Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Mr. Thomas said that the poll result of the Muvattupuzha Lok Sabha seat itself was indicative of the possibilities of a third option other than the Left and the Right wing parties.

Injustice

Mr. Thomas said that the moves being made to keep the Kerala Congress leaders, R. Balakrishna Pillai and T.M. Jacob, out of the new UDF Cabinet were deplorable. It would be a disgraceful exit.

It was especially so since both of them had proved efficient as Ministers, he pointed out. It would also be an injustice meted out to their parties, according to Mr. Thomas.

He said that while Mr. Pillai was dropped for having worked against the Congress candidate, Kodikkunnil Suresh, at Adoor constituency, the offence of Mr. Jacob was that he had canvassed for him (Mr. Thomas) at Muvattupuzha.

If Mr. Jacob could be ousted for such reasons, many more heads would have to roll, Mr. Thomas said.

Factional unity

Mr. Thomas expressed the hope that parties and groups, including the Kerala Congress factions, would come forward for political realignment. He said that though many people had thought about the unity of the Kerala Congress factions, nothing had happened so far.

Agitation

The IFDP would launch an agitation against the `anti-farmer policies' of the State and the Union Governments starting with a dharna at Menaka Junction in Ernakulam on September 10.

The district conventions of the IFDP will start from September 11. The Ernakulam district convention will be held on October 7. The State-level distribution of party memberships will be inaugurated in Thiruvananthapuram on September 16.

The IFDP State general secretary, Georgekutty Augusthy, has been appointed the official spokesperson of the party, Mr. Thomas said.

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