TRIVANDRUM, 23 May 2006 — Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan has completed allocation of portfolios to his Cabinet colleagues, keeping key portfolios of planning and economic affairs, anti-corruption wing of the police, information technology, overseas Indian affairs, general administration and science and technology. Paloli Mohammed Kutty holds local administration, minority welfare, Haj and Awqaf while another senior Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan will look after home and tourism. Portfolio allocation was delayed due to a bitter power struggle between hard-liners loyal to Achuthanandan and reformists led by state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan. The reformists who want to attract foreign investments to strengthen the economy that is sustained by overseas remittances are worried over chief minister’s attack against Dubai Internet City and lending agencies at his first meet-the-press program after assuming power.
Chances of Ma’adani Release Brighten
Muslim cleric Abdunnasar Ma’adani will soon be ending his eight-year plight in a Tamil Nadu jail. He faces trial for masterminding the 1998 blasts along with banned Al-Ummah leaders targeting former Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani. With the leftists in power in both the southern states and J. Jayalalitha out of power, chances are bright. “Jayalalitha turned down my request for meeting Ma’adani twice. Now a new government has assumed power there and I hope there will be no problems,” Chief Minister Achuthanandan said. He would soon take up the case with his Tamil Nadu counterpart M. Karunanidhi. For his party, Ma’adani’s plight was a hot campaign issue and many of its leaders promised a smooth release of the jailbird in return for his support. Ma’adani’s posters found prominent place in his strongholds along with the Left candidates.
Home Minister Hopes
Divisions within the CPI-M were evident when Home and Tourism Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishanan said he expects Achuthanandan to respect the CPI-M secretariat decisions. “The party has full faith in him that he would respect its decisions,” he said reacting to reports that the chief minister had retained some key portfolios against the secretariat’s decision.
Payback Time
Naushad’s eye was spared after his Saudi victim decided not to press his right to retribution. Pakistani Akhtar Hussain, 70, has been saved from death row in Dubai after his victim Murrath’s relatives in Kerala pardoned him — 25 years after Hussain killed him during a robbery attempt. “Our loss is irreparable, but still we pray Akhtar is safe with his family,” Murrath’s elder brother P.T. Khalid said.
