Keralam Chief Minister V.D. Satheeshan has rejected allegations by Adoor Prakash, convener of the ruling Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), that important decisions are being taken without consulting him and the leaders of the Front’s constituent parties. Responding to the allegations, Satheeshan said all decisions were taken after consulting senior leaders and with their consent, in accordance with the policies and working styles of the leadership. He also asserted that there were no differences of opinion between him and AICC general secretary K.C. Venugopal.
The exchange comes amid escalating factional tensions within the Congress in Keralam, with disagreements over consultation and appointments exposing fissures within the ruling coalition.
Referring to the Keralam High Court’s order to register an FIR against former Chief Minister and CPM leader Pinarayi Vijayan, his daughter Veena Vijayan, and her husband and former CPM minister and MLA P.A. Mohammed Riyas, Satheeshan said the law would take its own course.
Earlier, on October 1, senior Congress leader and UDF convener Adoor Prakash had criticised Satheeshan over the alleged lack of consultation within the coalition. Prakash said several important decisions were being taken without informing the leaders of the UDF’s constituent parties.
Speaking to the media, Prakash expressed dissatisfaction with recent appointments carrying Cabinet rank, referring to the appointment of Indian Union Muslim League leader M.K. Muneer as Chairman of the Administrative Reforms Commission and All India Forward Bloc (AIFB) leader G. Devarajan as the state government’s Special Representative in Delhi.
On October 5, Prakash submitted a written complaint to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, alleging that the Chief Minister was functioning unilaterally. In his complaint, Prakash reportedly stated that he learnt about government decisions only through the media and sought the intervention of the Congress high command.
Satheeshan’s response, asserting that decisions were taken in consultation with senior leaders, signals no immediate resolution to the dispute with the UDF convener. The developments point to continuing factional tensions within the Congress in Keralam.
