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Nayanar's coalition experiences rift pangs

The rift in Kerala's Marxist-led ruling coalition has deepened further.

The Communist Party of India State Council passed a resolution, accusing the Communist Party of India-Marxist of being 'partisan' in implementing the people's decentralised planning programme.

The state secretary of the CPI, the ruling Left Democratic Front's second largest coalition partner, had recently kicked up a row when he publicly criticised the composition of the Kerala Planning Board, and the manner in which the programme had been implemented.

The resolution, adopted at a two-day meeting from January 3, said the party had directed its workers to actively participate in the 'important' programme aimed at involving the public in implementing schemes at the local level during the Ninth Plan.

Controversies had arisen within the LDF from the beginning over the manner in which the CPI-M, whose minister Paloli Mohammedkutty is holding the portfolio of local administration, sought to implement the programme.

The resolution said all the constituent parties had demanded that the planning board have wider representation. But unfortunately, no decision 'capable of putting an end to partisan activities' came from the CPI-M. (Chief Minister E K Nayanar is the board chairman.)

The resolution alleged that the CPI-M arbitrarily nominated many persons, branding them experts and advisers, for implementing the programme. These 'experts and advisers' were appointed above the elected panchayat institutions, which amounted to the negation of the programme, it claimed.

The CPI-M should, it continued, instead of indulging in controversies, find a solution to the issues raised by LDF constituents. Nothing should obstruct the functioning of local self-government institutions.

The resolution hoped that the LDF State Committee, the ruling coalition's highest policy-making body, would take a fair decision after discussing the issue.

In another resolution, the CPI State Council wanted the LDF's political and administrative leadership to work together to ensure a good administration.

Suggesting that the government should be more vigilant in its functioning, it said the LDF and United Democratic Front, the Congress-led opposition, were almost equal in strength. The LDF, therefore, should further enlarge its mass base and improve its performance.

The council regretted that though the LDF had reviewed the working of 14 ministers eight months ago, it could not prioritise matters that needed to be sorted out before its term ended.

UNI

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