O J’s Corner

Worst Minister findings

It is, indeed, deplorable that television channels and certain newspapers are on the look-out for the worst functioning Minister in the V S Achuthanandan Ministry of Kerala. We have heard of Gallup polls, exit polls and surveys. But this exercise, not with the best of interests, is to say the least cruel. Subjective interests are injected into the data given out to the viewers/readers, almost nudging them to choose certain individuals. Some newspapers/channels are pro-UDF, a few others pro-LDF and a small number of them pro-BJP.

Why can’t they prepare a platform to adjudge all the team members of the ministry as hogwash. They could have pinpointed the faults on the captain of the team and released the findings.

No one can claim that V S Achuthanandan’s ministry has been functioning in a salubrious manner. People are ignored while political points are scored. CPM is at loggerheads with the CPM and certain other leftists. The fringe parties are put in a corner. There are high-voltage fulminations regarding the achievements. But the people are not the beneficiaries in general terms. After completion of three more years to take it to the full-term, this ministry would be the worst one the state has seen.

Intellectuals and analysts were tormenting the A K Antony Ministry and the Oommen Chandy Ministry earlier. Many of the nit-pickers are silent now. The umpires should be honest and fair. Foul play would only vitiate the atmosphere and give a handle to the misrulers.

I, for one, believe that Achuthanandan does not get the full support of the party. He has been chosen to contest the Assembly elections rather reluctantly, after heavy battering.He became the Chief Minister without the whole-hearted support of the party stalwarts in the state. He has, therefore, been going after the media for anything and everything. The media cannot be trusted for eternity. They are the greatest opportunists. Their lullabies and fanatical criticism arise not from total sincerity. They flow with the current and do not mind leaving their babies midstream.

V S Achuthanandan ministry, as a whole, does not have much to be jubilant about.