Coalition partners reign supreme

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A seemingly unconvincing stand taken by the Congress finally to placate the IUML by awarding a fifth ministerial berth, understandably to save the Oommen Chandy Government perched on a wafer-thin majority, once again underscores that the leading partner in the front is yet to come out of the clutches of its partners. It also makes clear the ‘kunjoonju-kunjaali-kunjumaani’ axis is calling the shots on any crucial issue in the current dispensation, when KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala’s proclivity for compromises is being taken as handy in the manoeuvrings. Above all, the whole developments have the potential to trigger a big factional war in the Congress is not wishful thinking. The attempts for various solutions such as a change of role for a few Congress nominees in the government and Speaker G Karthikeyan had to be put in the freezer may also embolden factional rift, while the party is all set for an organisational revamp and state plenary session. Though the turn of events in the UDF is a great loss of face for the Congress as it will be viewed as nothing but total surrender, it also poses a big risk as the support base of the front may become polarised on highly communal and even regional lines, costing heavily in the end.That the reaction has evoked sharp criticism from major communities in the state as never before is a pointer to the things in store for the Chandy Government.  Chandy, along with the UDF leaders, had taken a stand that all parties had made compromises to arrive at a settlement today so as to fulfil the mandate given by the people. He also stressed that there is nothing wrong in granting a fifth ministership to the IUML since the party had four ministers and a chief whip with cabinet rank in the past when it had an equal strength of MLAs to what it has now. “The high point in the UDF is that it never imposes anything on its partners and goes by discussions and consensus,” Chandy says. As a reply to the criticism of the organisations such as the NSS for disrupting communal balance in the cabinet, the Chandy asks whether anyone can point out any action of the government being affected even once owing to such a scenario. “It is the political circumstances which is leading to various decisions. The views of community organisations will be taken into account but the political compulsions are also important,” Chandy said.  Many of the IUML Ministers are already facing criticism for following a highly communal approach in governance. The UDF decision will buttress the charges, regardless of whatever good things delivered by Chandy on a whole. The pathetic intra-party state of affairs in the CPM is the only saving grace for the UDF while in power.