The Hindu : Kerala News : Many claimants to Rajya Sabha seat

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 26, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Many claimants to Rajya Sabha seat

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, NOV. 25. Several Congress leaders have thrown their hats in the ring for the vacant Rajya Sabha seat, elections to which will be held soon. The Kerala Congress (M) has also staked its claim for the seat.

The seat fell vacant following the death of the CPI leader, V.V. Raghavan. Given its current strength in the Assembly, the UDF could easily win the seat. If the Congress decides to contest the seat, the first preference would go to the Congress Working Committee (CWC) member, A.K. Antony. There is considerable speculation that Mr. Antony is under pressure from the Congress high command to move over to New Delhi. He is being given additional organisational responsibilities, the latest being the charge of Karnataka, where the Congress has not been able to wrap up a formula for Cabinet expansion.

Antony not interested

Mr. Antony wants to continue in the State and there are indications that he might refuse the offer.

Given the current mood in the State, the Congress would rather not risk another byelection that would be necessitated if Mr. Antony were to move to Delhi. The name of CWC permanent member, Ramesh Chennithala, is also doing the rounds.

If Mr. Chennithala were to be given the nomination, it would be possible for the party to give a berth for Kerala in the Union Council of Ministers, according to Mr. Chennithala's supporters. At present, the Congress does not have any MP in the Lok Sabha.

It has two Rajya Sabha MPs — Thennala Balakrishna Pillai and Vayalar Ravi. The IUML has one Rajya Sabha MP in Abdul Samad Samadhani and one Lok Sabha MP, E. Ahamed, who is the Union Minister of State for External Affairs.

Thankachan in the run

The third name in the reckoning is that of the UDF convener, P.P. Thankachan. Mr. Thankachan's supporters feel that he should be accommodated because of an earlier understanding when he was divested of his post as KPCC president that he would be suitably accommodated. Mr. Thankachan had to relinquish his post as KPCC president in order to restore the communal balance. He has now staked claim for the Rajya Sabha berth on the grounds of retaining the communal balance. According to his supporters, the UDF has three Rajya Sabha and one Lok Sabha MP. While the Muslim and Hindu communities have two MPs each, the Christian community has not been represented. Therefore, the party high command would be justified in giving him the nomination, they said. The discussions are to be initiated in Delhi soon. In the meantime, the Congress would have to go in for bilateral discussions with the Kerala Congress (M) and persuade him to give up his claim.

A senior Congress leader ruled out the question of conceding the seat to the KC(M).

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala