The Hindu : Front Page : LDF admits KC faction, NCP into the alliance

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LDF admits KC faction, NCP into the alliance

Special Correspondent

Skirts plea for inducting Surendran Pillai into Cabinet

Front moots rules to offer protection to doctors
Three political campaign marches from July 29

Vaikom Viswan says the NCP will stand for the interests of the State.

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) has admitted the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the P.C. Thomas faction of the Kerala Congress into the alliance.

The LDF panel did not, however, discuss the Thomas faction's demand for induction of its lone legislator V. Surendran Pillai into the Cabinet, probably indicating that the front leadership has no plan to give a Cabinet berth to the party. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) had handed over charge of the Public Works portfolio, controlled by P.J. Joseph, chairman of the undivided Kerala Congress(J), to Finance Minister T.M. Thomas Isaac. Although there were reports that the Communist Party of India is unhappy with the decision, party leaders did not convey any such feeling at the LDF committee meeting.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, front convener Vaikom Viswan said the front did not see any problem in the NCP, which was an ally of the Congress at the Centre, becoming a member of the ruling alliance here. If there was any clash between the positions of the LDF and the national leadership of the NCP, they would certainly stand by the LDF in the interest of the State. In the past too, the State NCP had stood by the LDF even when Mr. Pawar was an ally of the Congress at the Centre, he said.

Mr. Viswan said the front committee had recommended to the government to frame appropriate rules to offer protection to doctors and hospitals in view of the growing confrontation between doctors and patients in different parts of the State. It had also asked the government to permit minority-run professional colleges to reserve 15 per cent of their seats for allocation to students from the community running the institution on merit basis. At present, only 10 per cent seats are reserved for the purpose.

Protected teachers

He said the committee had asked the Education Minister to study the question of protected teachers and report back to the committee so that a solution could be found for their grievances. The government had also been told to go in for legislation, if necessary, to ensure continuation of freedom of association on campuses and to prevent victimisation of students in the name of internal assessment.

The committee, he said, wanted the government not to go ahead with the declaration of large tracts of land in Idukki as forest land without taking into account the concerns of the people who had been living there for decades. The final decision in the matter would be taken by the LDF after hearing them out. Similarly, the concerns of plantation owners at Nelliampathy in Palakkad district would be taken into account.

Mr. Viswan said the LDF panel had decided to take out three political campaign marches from different parts of the State beginning July 29. The northern rally would start from Kasaragod and conclude at Malappuram after covering Kannur, Wayanad and Kozhikode. The central rally would begin from Palakkad and conclude at Kottayam after covering Thrissur, Ernakulam and Idukki. The southern rally would begin from Alappuzha and conclude at Thiruvananthapuram after covering Kollam and Pathanamthitta.

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