CM's close aides oppose move

By Girish Menon

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, OCT. 7. The KPCC position on the auction of toddy shops has virtually given the works to the UDF leadership's move to replace toddy workers' cooperatives with the traditional auctioning. But the significant aspect of the fresh row is the fact that the opposition is from none other than the Chief Minister, Mr. A.K. Antony's close associates, some of whom are in the forefront of the opposition. The KPCC, indeed, sprang a surprise by opposing the UDF's intention to replace the workers' cooperatives with the auctioning system. The UDF High Power Committee (HPC), which met with Mr. Antony in the chair, took the decision to implement its election promise to disband the toddy workers cooperatives and go in for auctions. There was unanimity among the UDF partners on the question of disbanding the workers cooperatives, but the decision to go in for the traditional auction on individual basis ran into trouble.

The first person to openly oppose the decision to bring in the auctioning system was none other than Mr. V.M. Sudheeran, former Speaker and the party MP from Alappuzha. Even though Mr. Sudheeran prefaced his opposition by stating that he was openly airing his views in the absence of the party forum, the opposition simply spread with the anti-liquor council and the Christian Church joining issue. The UDF leadership was forced to defer a decision in view of the strong positions taken by the Church and other prohibitionists.

But when the KPCC executive met on Friday, the UDF's liquor policy came in for strong criticism from Mr. V.M. Sudheeran, Mr. Aryadan Mohammed, Mr. Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan and Mr. C.V. Padmarajan, all of whom are prominent Antony supporters. With near unanimity, they supported the view that the Government should form a company to distribute toddy. The major thrust of their argument was that auctioning of toddy shops would set the stage for the backdoor entry of illicit arrack and the rebirth of the arrack lobby, which had been broken with the ban. The UDF, which had been instrumental in imposing the arrack ban, would not be able to outlive the loss of face in the event of a tragedy.

Mr. Antony explained that the UDF had won the Assembly election with a massive mandate because of the support of some of the social organisations. But Mr. Sudheeran and others refused to buy this argument, stating that the UDF had won the day because of the people's mandate. The very fact that Mr. Antony did not oppose the move to set up a six-member KPCC committee to examine the liquor issue and give the Congress party's views has been interpreted as his inclination to see his supporters' point of view.

There is strong opposition in the Congress over the alleged deal struck by some leaders with the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam regarding the reintroduction of the auctioning system more as a favour for its support in the elections. UDF partners like the Janadhipathya Samrakshna Samithy (JSS) had supported this. But leaders such as Mr. Aryadan and Mr. Sudheeran have warned the dangers of surrendering to caste and communal forces which would not work in the larger and long-term interests of the Congress.

The KPCC president, Mr. K. Muraleedharan, who along with Mr. Oommen Chandy, had participated in various dialogues, did not mince words when he said the KPCC was against bowing before pressure from vested interests in the toddy issue.

The toddy impasse relates to 5,900 toddy shops which are on paper run by 95-odd toddy cooperatives across the State, according to official figures. There are allegations that most of the toddy shops have gone into the hands of benami names controlled by arrack dons. So far, none of the parties to the issue has opposed the move to disband the toddy cooperatives.

The general direction of all the discussions in the UDF and with the anti-liquor activists revolved around the question of an alternative arrangement replacing the cooperatives. But it has become more or less clear from the general trend of these dialogues that the HPC would sooner or later go in for individual auctioning.

The KPCC decision to stall, what it termed as a hasty decision, puts the entire issue on its head, coming as it did ahead of the HPC meeting on Wednesday. The composition of the KPCC sub- committee itself is a clear indication of which way matters would move.

It has two prominent opponents of the current moves in Mr. Aryadan Mohammed and Mr. V.M. Sudheeran. Mr. P.P. George's position is not know as of now, while Mr. Joseph Vazhakkan and Mr. Bharathipuram Sasi are too junior in the hierarchy to carry any weight even if they were to differ. The only member who has supported the auctioning system is Mr. D. Sugathan.

Given the heated debate, it is becoming clear that the toddy issue would not be solved easily. The status quo would be maintained at least till the end of the financial year which also coincides with the end of the abkari year.

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Section  : Southern States
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