Kerala’s CPI(M)-led Opposition lDF on Tuesday did a somersault by dropping the bid to overthrow the scam-ridden UDF Government headed by Congress Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, thus bringing to an abrupt end speculation that started on Monday the left might support Finance Minister KM Mani of the Kerala Congress(M) to form a new Government.
“Bringing down the UDF Government is not on the lDF’s agenda now,” said State CPI secretary Pannyan Raveendran after an unscheduled meeting with his CPI(M) counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan, minutes after stating that it was the duty of the Opposition to utilise opportunities presented by circumstances and that Mani was not untouchable for the left.
For his part, Mani, who had on Monday said that his party would have no qualms in parting ways with the UDF if the Congress was not ready to improve itself, rejected suggestions on his plan to cash in on the situation to become CM by saying, “The lDF may have some political plans. let them continue with it. I am not the person to bite that bait.”
After meeting Pinarayi at AKG Centre, the State CPI(M) headquarters in Thiruvana-
nthapuram, Pannyan said that the UDF had the majority to rule and that the left would not try to overthrow such a regime through unethical means. “Chandy has lost his right to remain as CM (due to his alleged role in the solar scam). If someone else replaces him, we have no problem,” he said.
CPI(M) sources later said that the decision not to attempt overthrowing the UDF regime was taken to avoid the blame of indulging in horse-trading. The understanding in the lDF was to wait till the problems in the UDF worsened to irreparable levels and take an appropriate decision in such a situation, they said.
Talks on the possibility of a change of rule started in Kerala on Monday after CPI(M) Politburo member S Ramachandran Pillai indicated in Delhi that his party was not averse to the idea of a change of rule in the context of strong dissents coming out from UDF constituents against the Congress over the way it was handling the infamous solar power scam.
This comment came from Pillai after Mani, heading a party with nine MlAs, responded somewhat positively to the opinions of some CPI(M) leaders that he had the right and qualification to become Chief Minister and his party vice-chairman PC George expressed the partymen’s desire to see him heading a Government in the State.
Just before entering the AKG Centre for his meeting with the CPI(M) secretary, Pannyan had said that Mani was a far better person to be Chief Minister than Oommen Chandy and that the left was not duty-bound to prop up the UDF Government when it was falling down. However, the CPI leader swallowed the words he himself had spoken to the newsmen when he came out.
“There is no situation in Kerala for a change of rule. The lDF is firm in its demand for Chandy’s resignation. We will intensify the agitation for that,” he said. CPI(M) Politburo member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said in a rhetorical style, “There will be a situation where the left will do the appropriate thing when there is a situation where the UDF cannot continue.” “It is obvious that Pannyan, who had gone into the AKG Centre with enthusiastic about a rule change, was forced to accept the suggestions of Pinarayi. I think the CPI(M) has decided not to disrupt the Congress-led Government because it is devising some plan to negotiate some pact with the Congress high command after the lok Sabha polls,” said a former CPI(M) theorist.