Governor P Sathasivam’s statement that the unruly incidents that took place in the Kerala Assembly on Friday had created a situation that might even justify a recommendation for invoking Article 356 of the Constitution has triggered a political storm in the State with the ruling Congress and allies objecting to it while the CPI(M)-led Opposition lDF using it as a weapon to intensify its attack against the ruling front.
Observers interpreted the Governor’s statement as a blow to the complacency of the Congress-led UDF Government but several senior leaders of the ruling coalition aired the suspicion that the Governor, a nominee of the BJP-led Union Government, was committing the mistake of viewing a political problem as a Constitutional issue.
One of the first leaders to object to the Governor’s statement was tainted Finance Minister KM Mani, whose refusal to stay away from presenting the Budget when he was facing charges of taking bribes and ‘selling’ Budget proposals, had led to the ruckus in Assembly. He said there was no Constitutional crisis in Kerala and the situation did not call for invoking Article 356.
However, the fiercest response to Justice Sathasivam’s statement came from Government Chief Whip PC George, vice-chairman of Mani’s Kerala Congress (M). likening the Governor to the proverbial fox which bays for blood during a fight between two goats, George said the post of Governor itself was unnecessary.
Reminding that the post of Governor itself was an ornamental one, George alleged that Justice Sathasivam could have had a feeling that he could rule over Kerala when he saw it but he should not keep that dream. The Opposition was there in the State to criticise the Government, George said.
In a Press release issued on Saturday over Friday’s “unfortunate” incidents in the Assembly, Governor Sathasivam had said, “The happenings on the floor of the Assembly may even justify submission of a report by the Governor to the President of India under Article 356 of the Constitution of India. The Governor will be reporting the happenings to the President.”
Terming the Governor’s reference as a costly mistake, Senior Congress leader and former Assembly Speaker Vakkom Purushothaman said that there was no crisis of governance in the State. He added that the din created by the Opposition members in the Assembly was not sufficient ground for invoking Article 356.