The Hindu : Kerala News : Karunakaran hits out at Chandy

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Wednesday, Feb 09, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Karunakaran hits out at Chandy

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, FEB. 8 . The Congress leader K. Karunakaran today charged the Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, with taking unilateral decisions, which, he said, would be the UDF and the Congress party's undoing.

Addressing a press conference here, Mr. Karunakaran said the Chief Minister and his Government's decisions were intolerable for the common man and the Congress party cannot go forward with this kind of functioning. He listed out the lapses of the Chandy Government. These included the ban on lottery, "directionless" budget, liquor policy and appointments to vacancies in Government and semi-Government organisations.

Mr. Karunakaran criticised the budget proposals.

Budget criticised

He said the budget did not contain anything to promote productive sectors. Besides, the Finance Minister has shown the alacrity to make references to the liquor policy, which had been discussed and cleared by the UDF, he said. The proposal to end pensions adversely affected Government employees.

He alleged that the Government was taking unilateral decisions. Not even Ministers were consulted on issues related to their department, he said. Mr. Karunakaran said if the Chief Minister failed to correct himself, the people would ensure that he corrected his stance.

He said those who were threatening to initiate disciplinary action against him did not know the Congress party's history. "Criticising the Government does not amount to indiscipline, but instead strengthens it, he said.

Mass contact drive

Mr. Karunakaran criticised the Chief Minister's mass contact programme and demanded to know its results. Asked whether he stood by his earlier statement that he would ally with whomsoever to bring down the Government, Mr. Karunakaran clarified that he had stated that he would team up with anyone to correct the Government.

Mr. Karunakaran said the decision to appoint Raman Sreevastava was a right one. "He has reached this position as I did not buckle under pressure to suspend him from his job while I was the Chief Minister."

Mr. Karunakaran criticised the delay in appointments to the Guruvayur and Kochi Devaswom Board. The Travancore Board was reconstituted without any delay and two of the chief Minister's men were inducted into it, he alleged.

The Congress leader asked the Government to clarify on the delay in accepting help extended by Mata Amritanandamayi Ashram for the tsunami victims.

Asked about his attempts to revive the party's ties with the CPI(M), Mr. Karunakaran said he would not be accused of violating party discipline on that score. The Leader of the Opposition, V.S. Achuthanandan, had appreciated the finer points of his moves, he added.

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