The crisis in Kerala’s Congress-led ruling UDF deepened on Monday as the efforts by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and other front leaders to persuade Kerala Congress (M) leaders to soften their stands failed. Finance Minister and KC(M) chairman KM Mani has been demanding the removal of MlA and his party’s vice-chairman PC George as Government Chief Whip.
Chandy, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala of the Congress and Industries Minister PK Kunhalikutty of the Muslim league held several rounds of talks both the KC(M) leaders on Monday. However, Mani said he would not compromise on his demand while George held fast to his stand that he would not resign as Chief Whip unless he was expelled from the KC(M).
“The discussions have been completed. A decision would be taken tomorrow (Tuesday). We had to postpone it as the Home Minister has to go out for a programme,” said Chandy, also chairman of the UDF, on Monday. But Chennithala said, “The discussions would continue tomorrow. The Chief Minister will tell you everything.”
Mani, facing the charge of taking Rs 1 crore as bribe from bar owners, had on March 26 submitted a letter to the Chief Minister recommending the immediate removal of George as Chief Whip. Mani took the step following the repeated statement by George that the Finance Minister should have resigned immediately after the bribery charge was levelled against him.
Mani’s recommendation posed a big dilemma for Chandy as he could not neglect it as the eight MlAs the KC(M) had - excluding George - in the 140-member Assembly was crucial to the survival of his Government while acting against George was difficult because of the reputation he carried as a dangerous politician who knew too much about the front’s survival secrets.
Trapped in the dilemma, Chandy first promised Mani that a final decision would be taken before April 2 but then postponed it saying that the decision could be taken only on Monday -- after the Christian Holy Week and Easter. “Chandy cannot postpone the decision infinitely. We are not going to allow that,” said a close aide of the Finance Minister.
In the discussions on Monday, Chandy told Mani that George would resign as Chief Whip only if he was expelled from the KC(M), third biggest constituent of the ruling front, so that he could continue as a UDF MlA by reviving his old party, the Kerala Congress (Secular). Mani rejected Chandy’s proposal.
George unequivocally told Chandy and other UDF leaders that he was not prepared to make any compromise. His position was that he would not resign as Chief Whip unless and until Mani expelled him from the KC(M). Otherwise, Chandy could sack him, he said but there would be consequences. George later said, “let them not play with me the games they play with others.”
The issue of bribery allegation against Mani triggered intense arguments at a meeting of the Kerala PCC executive on Monday with opponents of Chandy attacking him for protecting the tainted Finance Minister and his supporters defending him vehemently.
State Congress vice-president VD Satheesan reportedly accused Chandy of running around to settle the Mani-George dispute and thus discarding the issues within the Congress party. He said that there was a general impression that the Congress was protecting corrupt leaders of UDF partners and this would create serious problems for the party.