The Hindu : Parties uneasy over Gujarat poll results

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Dec 16, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala

Parties uneasy over Gujarat poll results

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Dec. 15.

The major parties in Kerala are apparently uneasy over the election results in Gujarat. This is because the severe drubbing the Congress received there has given a setback to its ambitions of emerging as the single largest party at the Centre, nudging it towards accepting a coalition at the Centre and possibly a pre-election alliance of non-BJP parties, including the Left, to counter what could be a resurgent BJP in the aftermath of the party's Gujarat victory.

The uneasiness is more pronounced because the Congress, which leads the ruling coalition and the CPI(M), which leads the two majors which lead the rival front, are pitted against each other in the State. In other words, the State leadership of the two parties would be caught amidst their State-level imperatives and the national-level perspectives.

The senior Congress leader, K Karunakaran, during the last several months, has been talking loudly about the inevitability of a soft approach towards the Left parties, particularly the CPI(M). For a person who was responsible for forging one of the long lasting anti-communist flank, Mr. Karunakaran has come a long way in touting a tie-up with all non-BJP parties, including the Left, if the Congress was serious about fighting the BJP, its arch enemy in Delhi.

To supplement his line of thinking, Mr Karunakaran has also taken enough pains to leave an imprint on the ordinary Congress worker about what he feels an impending alliance with the left forces. He has been openly hobnobbing with senior CPI(M) leaders such as E.K. Nayanar.

Interestingly, Mr Karunakaran's position is diametrically opposite to the one adopted by the Chief Minister, A.K. Antony, who has been on an anti-Marxist mode -- a position which found him riding to power on an anti-incumbency wave. Even today, the Marxists are some of his bitterest opponents.

Mr Antony, on the other hand, has judiciously refrained from confronting the BJP-led NDA Government as the Nayanar Government did. He has consciously tread the path of consensus politics by harnessing the services of several BJP leaders. Mr Antony has also been taking pains to appeal to the majority community by coming out with a string of policy frame work which is basically intended to satisfy their aspirations.

In the coming days, the divergent perceptions of Mr Karunakaran and Mr Antony would give a new and interesting dimension to Congress politics. The picture is not very clear as far as the Left parties are concerned.

The RSP, a LDF partner, however has squarely blamed the Congress for thwarting the emergence of a secular platform. While accepting the need for a common platform of secular and democratic forces, the RSP has accused the Congress of persistently refusing to include the Left and other secular parties which have roots in Gujarat.

The BJP, on the other hand, views the Gujarat elections as an opportunity for smaller coalition partners, particularly in the UDF, for a rethink. The BJP, in an official statement, said that the BJP's victory in Gujarat and the three byelections in Rajasthan was a pointer to the way the country's politics was taking. The State general secretary, P.P. Mukundan, said that the people of Gujarat had rejected the propaganda unleashed by the Opposition parties and to some extent by the Election Commission's positions.

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

Southern States

Stories in this Section

Orthodox faction ready to cooperate

`Malabari' goats under threat of extinction

Farmers opposed to Land Use Commission

Water supply hit as KWA saves on power bill?

Oppn. sathyagraha tomorrow

Parties uneasy over Gujarat poll results