The Hindu : Kerala News : Pillai-Jacob ouster may create more trouble for UDF

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Saturday, Sep 04, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

Pillai-Jacob ouster may create more trouble for UDF

By Girish Menon

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, SEPT 3. The Congress high command's decision to keep the Kerala Congress parties headed by T.M. Jacob and Balakrishna Pillai out of the Cabinet appears to be another of those hard moves to reduce the veteran Congress leader, K. Karunakaran's influence in UDF politics.

The decision to keep them out of the Chandy Cabinet would create more trouble for the United Democratic Front (UDF) and the Congress.

The Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, announced in Delhi today that the berths vacated by the two leaders would be taken over by the Congress, but he made no mention how the regional, religious, caste and factional balance would be maintained while filling up the two berths.

There are indications that it might open the gates for a new round of factionalism. Besides, several senior leaders do not favour any step that would disturb the current set up of the UDF or the rewriting of the rules of coalition politics ignoring the unique socio-political background in Kerala.

New rules

The decision to keep Mr. Pillai and Mr. Jacob also indicates that new rules are being written for the UDF. This is for the first time that the Congress is ousting its partners from the UDF, which has been basically an anti-Communist formation ever since the two-coalition system came into being in the early 1980s.

Mr. Pillai and Mr. Jacob have been permanent fixtures in the UDF owing to their anti-left positions. In 1989, the Kerala Congress(J), led by P J Joseph, left the UDF when he was denied the Muvattupuzha in the Lok Sabha election that year.

Mr. Pillai, who was with Mr. Joseph, preferred to stay put in the UDF, for which he was disqualified under the anti-defection law.

Anti-CPI(M) forces

In its fight against the CPI(M)-led LDF, the UDF leadership has taken care to carry along with all anti-CPI(M) forces, mainly on account of their social relevance. The CMP leader, M.V. Raghavan, who was expelled from the CPI(M) for touting an alternative line, was accommodated in the UDF in 1987. The Congress did not have any qualms to use Mr. Raghavan in its fight against the CPI(M).

In 1996, the UDF brought in the JSS leader, K.R/ Gauri, who was expelled from the CPI(M) in 1994, mainly for her base among the Ezhava community in south Kerala, particularly Alappuzha. In 2000, the UDF leadership accommodated the RSP(B), which left the LDF after a split in the original RSP.

Communal rationale

Both Mr. Pillai and Mr. Jacob have their own communal rationale in being in the UDF, besides their anti-CPI(M) postures. Mr. Jacob belongs to the Jacobite faction of the Malankara church, while Mr. Pillai has the support of the Orthodox factions and of late that of the People Democratic Party (of Abdul Nasser Maudany) that is influential in the Kollam belt.

Both the leaders have come in for some harsh treatment from the CPI(M)-led LDF whenever it has been in power. Interestingly, Mr. Pillai and Mr. Jacob have been beneficiaries of the factional fight in the Congress.

Even though they stood with the pro-changers in the Congress to oust Mr. Karunakaran in 1995, the two later pitched their camps with the Karunakaran faction.

Against UDF

Mr. Pillai is being shown the door for having worked against the UDF's interest by openly campaigning against the Congress candidate in Adoor, Kodikunnil Suresh in the recent Lok Sabha elections. Congress MLAs put Mr. Pillai in the docks recently for favouring the LDF MLAs and MPs in distributing the transport department's patronage.

The charge against Mr. Jacob is that his party openly supported the NDA candidate, P.C. Thomas in Muvattupuzha Lok Sabha seat. Mr. Thomas went on to win the seat, but it is alleged that Mr. Jacob organised a function to felicitate him on his victory. The two alleged voted against the Congress

A section of the Congress leaders are hell bent on taking action against the two leaders, who have never concealed their association with Mr. Karunakaran. Mr. Pillai has not bothered to petition either the Congress leaders here or in Delhi against the decision to keep him out. Given his temperament, he is unlikely to do so.

Mr. Jacob met the Chief Minister the other day with a plea to consider his party's inclusion.

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