TRIVANDRUM, 4 November 2003 — The internecine feud in the Congress party in Kerala took a new turn yesterday with Chief Minister A.K. Antony, a member of the Congress party’s top decision-making body, coming down heavily on the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) politburo, virtually throwing a wrench in the growing relations between the two parties at the national level.

“They have a cosmetic face in New Delhi. Their real face is seen in Kerala, West Bengal and Tripura. They are out to weaken the Congress and they cannot be trusted,” Antony said reacting to the politburo’s accusation that he was giving legitimacy to the rightwing Hindu Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP or World Hindu Council) in the state.

In a hard-hitting statement in New Delhi on Sunday the politburo had said Antony had “distinguished himself by ushering an era of sectarian caste-communal politics which is harmful for democratic polity and the state”.

He also came under attack for “his notorious record of mollycoddling the likes of (VHP leader Pravin) Togadia”.

It also had warned the Congress party that Antony’s anti-Marxist politics will harm secular and democratic forces in India and it would not be confined to Kerala and West Bengal.

“I don’t want any certificate from the politburo of an undemocratic party like CPI-M,” he said.

Antony said the CPI-M did not want a strong Congress to challenge the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the assembly elections and it was because of that it was trying to topple his government.

He called upon the opposition to spell out the alternative government it was proposing.

“Their strength is only 40 in the 140-member house. Are they going to topple my government through horse-trading?” he asked adding that nobody will dislodge him as long as he enjoyed majority.

Reiterating that he would not resign on his own, the chief minister said he would convene the house at the appropriate time and the opposition can move a no-confidence motion.

Meanwhile, Congress president Sonia Gandhi called the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) leaders Panakkad Mohammed Ali Shihab Thangal and E. Ahmed, MP, requesting their help to avoid a split in the party. Ahmed immediately left for New Delhi for further talks.

Muslim League is the second largest partner of the ruling coalition and the CPI-M had made it clear that the league will have no role in the alternative dispensation it offered to support from outside.

Ahmed said his party was making a last-ditch effort to save the UDF and the government, facing a threat after an open rebellion by senior leader K. Karunakaran, who has the opposition support.

“We are discussing all options,” Ahmed said.

Karunakaran’s son and the state unit president K. Muraleedharan said Antony was not convening the assembly fearing he had lost the confidence of the house. “How long will you go like this?” he asked.

He said there would be a definite solution to the crisis within a month.

According to reports, Karunakaran is reportedly getting positive vibes from the coalition partners and is totting up numbers.