Seven-party non-Marxist UDF find it difficult to agree on 12th CM of Kerala

They united to oust a Marxist chief minister. But the choice of a non-Marxist chief minister for Kerala left them at loggerheads. Despite a marathon meeting behind closed doors, the leaders of the seven-party non-Marxist United Democratic Front (UDF) - still in the process of formation - were finding it difficult to agree on the state's 12th chief minister. While Congress(I) leaders were determined to install K. Karunakaran in the chair, the 22-member Congress(S) Legislature Party also demanded the price for pulling down the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government in the state.The chances of a Congress(I) chief minister were further reduced with the five-member Janata Legislature Party making it clear that it would not support a Congress(I)-led ministry in the state. It, however, was willing to support a non-Marxist government led by a non-Congress(I) chief minister. In fact, it was this resolve of the Janata Party which earlier spoiled the chances of a Congress(I)-led ministry. According to political observers, the strategy to prevent the Congress(I) from grabbing the chief ministership was chalked out at New Delhi soon after the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee-S (KPCC-S) rejected the Congress Working Committee-S (CWC-S) plea urging its state unit not to join hands with the Congress(I).Hard Line: The Janata Party, which at present holds the balance of numbers in the Assembly and was earlier willing to join a Congress(I)-led ministry, was persuaded by party president Chandra Shekhar to adopt a hard line and settle only for a non-Congress(I) incumbent. Said a Congress(I) MLA: "The Janata Party has outmanoeuvred us in the political game." Karunakaran (left) with Chandy: A tussle for the chief minister's chairThe Congress(I) suffered a further set-back with the cracks in the Congress(S) Legislature Party. Six Congress(S) MLAs led by former industry minister P.C. Chacko declared that they would abide by the CWC(S)'s decision. Said Chacko: "There is no question of tolerating a Congress(I)-led ministry in the state. We can't betray the people."With UDF leaders - those belonging to the Congress(I), Indian Union Muslim League (iuml), Kerala Congress (Mani), Kerala Congress (Joseph), National Democratic Party, Praja Socialist Party and the Congress(S) - unable to sort out the thorny issue, top leaders of the Congress(I) flew to Trivandrum to find an amicable solution. Union Commerce Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Union Communications Minister CM. Stephen, Minister of State for Home Affairs Yogendra Makwana and scores of middle-rank Congress(I) leaders descended on the city to mobilise a majority for their party which had claimed the support of 68 MLAs in the 141-member Kerala Assembly. Their mission: to woo three of the six Congress(S) MLAs and the All India Muslim League (AIML) which has five legislators. Said Dr Bapu Kaldate, Janata Party general secretary after his visit to the state, "All the parties are engaged in a game of numbers."The Congress(I) leaders also admitted that if it agreed to surrender the chief ministership, things would become simple. But there was no agreement even among the other parties over the leadership question. It seems certain that both the state's Congress(S) chief A.K. Antony and Karunakaran would have to remain out of the race for the chief ministership to pave the way for the formation of a non-Marxist government. Antony: Out of the race?Since the Janata Party is willing to support a non-Congress(I) chief minister, the leader of the Congress(S) Legislature Party Oommen Chandy's name was floated for the chief ministership. Besides, the nominees of all other parties - barring both the Congresses - were also discussed. Said a spokesman of the UDF coordinating committee: "One thing is certain, no one in the UDF is enamoured of the idea of having another Marxist government. That is a hopeful sign."Mustering Support: With the UDF trying to sort out its internal problems, the Marxist-led LDF was also busy mustering support to regain power. In order to win the Congress(S) back to its fold, the Marxists even offered it the chief ministership. The CTI-M national leadership approached the national leaders of the Janata Party for support, but their request was turned down reportedly because the party had betrayed Morarji Desai's government in 1979.Though both groups were finding it impossible to gather majority support, nobody was willing to go to the polls, because of the uncertain outcome. The Marxists were reluctant to face the electorate because of the LDF Government's poor performance and the bad law and order situation; the Congress(I) feared the ballot box for similar reasons. During the first 45 days of President's Rule, there have been nine political murders and over 40 political clashes involving the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Congress(I) and the Marxists. Predictably, the Marxists charge that Kerala under Congress(I) rule will become a fief of the RSS- Congress(I) combine. With multi-party Kerala politics getting murkier day after day, the chances of the Keralites celebrating a merry Christmas are rated very low.Published By: AtMigration Published On: Oct 23, 2013 12:07 IST--- ENDS ---

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Seven-party non-Marxist UDF find it difficult to agree on 12th CM of Kerala

They united to oust a Marxist chief minister. But the choice of a non-Marxist chief minister for Kerala left them at loggerheads.

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