The Hindu : `No scope for Cabinet reshuffle'

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Sep 21, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

`No scope for Cabinet reshuffle'

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Sept. 20. The KPCC president, K. Muraleedharan, today distanced himself from the Karunakaran faction's moves for a Cabinet reshuffle by categorically stating that it was the prerogative of the Chief Minister to shuffle his team and that he personally felt that there was no scope for a Cabinet reshuffle at this juncture.

The KPCC president, replying to a volley of questions on the Karunakaran faction's moves for a Cabinet reshuffle, said that the reshuffle would take place as and when the Chief Minister felt the need.

"Besides, the issue has to be decided after discussions with the UDF partners and it would not be enough to go for a reshuffle of Congress Ministers,'' he said.

``The Chief Minister at present has not contemplated on a Cabinet reshuffle. This is the impression I got when I spoke to him a few days ago. In any case, the Cabinet reshuffle is not an agenda before the KPCC,'' he said.

Mr. Muraleedharan said he did not subscribe to the view that the performance of the Congress Ministers was below par and that even if it were so, there was enough scope to improve their output.

Even though he did not name the Karunakaran faction, which held a meeting on Thursday, Mr. Muraleedharan did not mince words in criticising the practice of conducting factional meetings. He said that it was totally unfair to hold group meetings and create a furore over issues.

"If one group were to hold a meeting, it would only encourage the others to do likewise. The factional leaders and others who feel that they are not getting their due from the Government are free to raise these issues in the KPCC executive. Without doing this basic thing, it was not possible to take the various demands of the factions at face value, he added.

In reply to another question, Mr. Muraleedharan said that there was nothing wrong in leaders of the UDF constituents meeting the Congress President, Sonia Gandhi.

The IUML leader, E. Ahmed, has been meeting Mrs. Gandhi from time to time in his capacity as all India general secretary of his party, which is an important partner in the UDF.

Mr. Muraleedharan said that the KPCC's disciplinary committee would come into being within a week.

"The committee would examine the Congress MLA, T. H. Mustapha's remarks against Mr. Karunakaran.

He said that he did not know anything about the so-called assurance alleged to have been given by the UDF leaders to Abdul Nazer Mahdhani in the run-up to the Assembly elections.

The only thing he could say for sure was that no political leader could give an assurance of securing the release of Mahdhani in a case which was under trial. The Congress had held a consistent position on this.

Asked about the State Government position relating to Mahdhani's parole release, he said the matter related to Government business and it was for the Chief Minister to give his opinion.

With regard to the row in the split in the Confederation of Kerala State Electricity Employees Organisation, Mr. Muraleedharan said he had not received any complaints so far.

He said he had not even heard the names of some of the leaders claiming to be representatives of the confederation. He said he had appointed a sub-committee to examine whether the warring unions in the KSEB could be brought under one flag in the interest of getting recognition in the trade union referendum due in the KSEB soon.

He had been guided by the various steps taken by his predecessors in the KPCC, including Mr. Antony and Mr. Vayalar Ravi, who had various points of time taking steps to unite the factional unions.

He said the KPCC had decided to take suitable action to ensure the INTUC's presence in the KSEB and there was no question of going back on his decision on this, he added.

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