The Hindu : Kerala News : UDF will not tolerate pressure groups: Chandy

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Sep 12, 2004

Kerala

Kerala

UDF will not tolerate pressure groups: Chandy

By Our Staff Reporter

KOTTAYAM, SEPT. 11 . The United Democratic Front (UDF) will no more tolerate pressure groups in the coalition, the Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, said here today.

Speaking to mediapersons, the Chief Minister said after the rout in the last Parliament elections, it was not just possible to allow the affairs of the UDF to continue as earlier.

Asked about the open statements being issued by the two coalition partners - the Kerala Congress factions headed by R. Balakrishna Pillai and T.M. Jacob - Mr. Chandy said, "let us see how far they would go."

He said that "both Mr. Pillai and Mr. Jacob know best why they were excluded from the Ministry. The causes of the rout at the hustings, that too after settling the problems in the Congress, have been studied by the high command in detail," he said. The high command had expected to have a new beginning after the settlement of the internal problems.

Action plan

Mr. Chandy called upon the Opposition leaders not to come to conclusions on the sincerity of the Action Plan for 100 days declared by him. All pending files and issues, without getting into legal complications, would be resolved within this period, he said. "Let them appraise the 100 days work and then determine whether the declaration was honest or not," he said.

Reacting to another question, the Chief Minister said he hoped to bring all Congressmen together and said the present KPCC and its president were capable of accomplishing this goal.

Organisational polls

PTI reports: The Congress in Kerala would soon hold organisational polls and ensure that due representation was given to various sections in the party setup, the State party president, Thennala Balakrishna Pillai, said in Kanhangad today.

The Congress would soon complete preparations for the organisational polls as such a step could be the only way to ensure a rejuvenated party by accommodating all sections, Mr. Pillai said while inaugurating the annual conference of the Kerala State Cooperative Employees Front here.

Maintaining that the factional feud in the Congress, of late, was coming down, Mr. Pillai said party leaders expressing different views could not be seen as an indication of factionalism in the ruling party.

The decision to exclude Mr. Jacob and Mr. Balakrishna Pillai, from the UDF Ministry was taken as per complaints against those leaders regarding their work during electioneering for the May 10 Lok Sabha polls.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala