TRIVANDRUM, 20 July 2003 — Hectic parleys the senior Congress party leader K. Karunakaran held with the key partners of Kerala’s ruling United Democratic Front have given rise to speculation of a possible regrouping in the ruling coalition in the southern Kerala state. He also stepped up pressure on Congress High Command to remove Chief Minister A.K. Antony saying action would be taken at the state level if the high command fails to do so.
Karunakaran had already held several meetings with the leaders of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and the Kerala Congress-M, the second and third largest coalition partners, ahead of the crucial IUML secretariat meeting scheduled for tomorrow to discuss the crisis after the chief minister’s remarks about collective bargaining of the minority communities and the impact of overseas remittances. The former Kerala chief minister has also directed the legislators loyal to him to be in the state capital from tomorrow.
Speaking to journalists in Cochin, Karunakaran said he could not reveal what transpired at the meetings now. He also rejected Antony’s clarification that the remarks prompted by “social realities” were not meant to hurt anyone saying it was a serious violation of the party’s official stand. “It’s for the Congress High Command to take a decision. What Antony said is contrary to the Congress stand on minorities. If the high command fails to take any action, there will be reaction in Kerala,” he said after meeting IUML chief Panakkad Syed Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal. “Congress party’s policy is to protect minorities. Nobody can rule the state by hurting their sentiments.”
Asked if he would accept another term as chief minister, Karunakaran quipped: “If I say anything, you would interpret it as if I have staked claim for the post.” “The party high command has been informed of the developments. They should act now,” he said adding that the entire coalition partners except the one-member Communist Marxist Party did not subscribe to Antony’s views on minorities and migration.
IUML stand unchanged Industry Minister P.K. Kunhalikkutty, the IUML state general secretary after a series of talks with the Congress leaders, including the All-India Congress Committee general secretary Vayalar Ravi and UDF convener Oommen Chandy said there was no improvement in the situation. The final decision would be taken at the secretariat meeting to be held in Calicut tomorrow.
Ravi and Chandy, who had a late night meeting with the Shihab Thangal on Friday, visited Thangal at his Kodappanakkal residence in Malappuram last evening in a last ditch bid to find a solution to the severest crisis the two-year-old Congress-led government was facing.
The outcome of the meeting was not immediately known. However, reports said Thangal was under tremendous pressure, as almost all the Muslim organizations have asked the IUML leadership to see that the statement was withdrawn or pull out its four ministers from the cabinet.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister M.M. Hassan said whips were issued to all UDF legislators to be present in the Assembly and vote in favor of the Finance Bill when it comes up for discussion tomorrow. Only IUML legislators attending the Kozhikkode conclave have been given exemption.
