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UDF headed for deeper crisis: CPI

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, SEPT. 12. The CPI State secretary, Veliyam Bhargavan, has said that the ruling UDF is headed for a deeper crisis despite the recent leadership change.

Briefing reporters after the two-day party State council meeting here today, Mr. Bhargavan said the bickering in the UDF would only increase in the days to come on account of the decision to keep two front constituents out of the Oommen Chandy Cabinet and the inability to give Ministerial berth to hopefuls in the Congress, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and RSP(B).

KC(B) putting pressure

He said his party did not deem it necessary to comment on the KC(B) leader, R. Balakrishna Pillai's attack on the Congress till he severed his links with the UDF. Mr. Pillai was, obviously, trying to exert pressure on the UDF leadership by threatening to walk out of the UDF, he said.

Mr. Bhargavan said the LDF would choose its candidate for the Speaker election when it meets on September 14.

No positive outcome

The CPI leader said A.K. Antony's exit as Chief Minister and assumption of office by the Oommen Chandy Government would not have any positive outcome as Mr. Chandy had already declared that he would persist with the policies of the Antony Government. Mr. Chandy had played a major role in the formulation of the `anti-people' policies of the Antony Government and there was nothing in the programmes announced by the Government to improve the lot of the people, he added.

Farmers' issue

The Antony Government had done nothing to reach relief to the crisis-hit farmers or to improve the situation on the industrial front. The law and order situation was also a major cause for concern as goonda-mafia gangs ruled the roost in many parts of the State. Mr. Chandy's statements so far showed that the police would be used for serving his faction's interests, Mr. Bhargavan said.

Expressing serious concern at the rising inflation rate, he pointed out that Kerala would be the worst hit by the price rise. The Government had, in the past, used the State's public distribution system to check price rise. The public distribution system was now in total disarray. The Government should take urgent steps to revive it, the CPI leader said.

Party meet

Mr. Bhargavan said the party's State conference would be held in Kottayam from March 4 to 7 next year in preparation for the 19th Party Congress to be held in Chandigarh. The lower level conferences would begin in December. The district party conferences would be held during January-February, 2005, he said.

The party State council meeting, he said, had elected the former Minister, K.E. Ismail, as one of the two State assistant secretaries in place of K.C. Pillai, who vacated office owing to ill-health. The other assistant secretary is Panniyan Raveendran.

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