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Suresh Kurup and Jose.K.Mani have namesakes in fray
Kottayam: Fielding namesakes of rivals in the electoral fray has been a crucial tactic employed sometimes. Last time V M Sudheeran had to bite the dust in Alappuzha ostensibly because of the presence of another Sudheeran who fetched far more votes than the victory margin of Dr K S Manoj.
Finding an alter ego, with the same name, is not that easy. But this time in Kottayam Lok Sabha constituency, rivals of Jose.K.Mani of of the Kerala Congress (Mani) group could find a person with the same name. His father’s name was also the same, K M Mani, as that of the real Mani Sir. This other Jose K Mani is a small time functionary in Delhi, belonging to Upputhode in Idukki district. After filing nomination papers, the dual Jose K Mani flew back to Delhi and is not heard any more.
For some time, people thought Mani has been cornered. CPM’s K.Suresh Kurup has another of the same name. The dual K.Suresh Kurup came from Sulthan Bathery, Wayanad. One K.Suresh Kumar and another T R Suresh Kumar also filed nomination papers.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Expectations too much, dismay for those discarded
By O J George
Lok Sabha election camp is getting active. Thank God the actual campaign is limited to a fortnight. In olden days, campaign spread to two months. Candidates and campaign managers were at their wit’s end.
Now a lot of people are frustrated for not getting nomination. Expectations have been belied. CPM replaced many of the incumbent MPs for personal interests, it seems. Janata Dal and RSP did not get any seat. PDP and BJP rebels got indirect entry into the side-walks of the LDF. Janata Dal is out. It seems a split is the natural corollary of the goings-on in Janata Dal.
Congress hands are not a happy lot. Hibi Eden was cocksure about getting a seat in Ernakulam. But K V Thomas was prepared to give up his fiefdom.
Inernational Sasi Tharoor could have squeezed through indirectly to the Rajya Sabha.But he scuttled the prospects other locals.
Pathanamthitta always had the woe of receiving outsiders. UDF brought in an outsider this time as well.
So many cares, so many challenges.
Who would have the last laugh?
By O J George
Lok Sabha election camp is getting active. Thank God the actual campaign is limited to a fortnight. In olden days, campaign spread to two months. Candidates and campaign managers were at their wit’s end.
Now a lot of people are frustrated for not getting nomination. Expectations have been belied. CPM replaced many of the incumbent MPs for personal interests, it seems. Janata Dal and RSP did not get any seat. PDP and BJP rebels got indirect entry into the side-walks of the LDF. Janata Dal is out. It seems a split is the natural corollary of the goings-on in Janata Dal.
Congress hands are not a happy lot. Hibi Eden was cocksure about getting a seat in Ernakulam. But K V Thomas was prepared to give up his fiefdom.
Inernational Sasi Tharoor could have squeezed through indirectly to the Rajya Sabha.But he scuttled the prospects other locals.
Pathanamthitta always had the woe of receiving outsiders. UDF brought in an outsider this time as well.
So many cares, so many challenges.
Who would have the last laugh?
Monday, March 23, 2009
Protestants left high and dry
By O J George
Earlier church leaders thought their interests were being taken care of by the Congress Party. Often, the party was not able to live up to the expectations of various church factions. At times, the church leaders would boast of teaching a lesson to the party.
This time, Congress Party cared two hoots about the nominees preferred by church factions other than Catholics. The Catholics are also not fully satisfied. It wanted Hibi Eden to be fielded from Ernakulam, instead Congress chose K V Thomas. Still Catholics got three nominees.
Orthodox, CSI, marthomites drew a blank. No one knows what form the reaction of these church leaders would assume. Orthodox Church has issued an ultimatum. It will field candidates in at least four constituencies. Anyway, K V Thomas has visited the Devalokam Catholicate palace and tried to assuage the ruffled feelings of the metropolitans.
Churches fielding candidates without association with fronts would ultimately prove to be futile, and they would still get distanced from the mainstream.
Things are getting curiouser and inexplicable.
By O J George
Earlier church leaders thought their interests were being taken care of by the Congress Party. Often, the party was not able to live up to the expectations of various church factions. At times, the church leaders would boast of teaching a lesson to the party.
This time, Congress Party cared two hoots about the nominees preferred by church factions other than Catholics. The Catholics are also not fully satisfied. It wanted Hibi Eden to be fielded from Ernakulam, instead Congress chose K V Thomas. Still Catholics got three nominees.
Orthodox, CSI, marthomites drew a blank. No one knows what form the reaction of these church leaders would assume. Orthodox Church has issued an ultimatum. It will field candidates in at least four constituencies. Anyway, K V Thomas has visited the Devalokam Catholicate palace and tried to assuage the ruffled feelings of the metropolitans.
Churches fielding candidates without association with fronts would ultimately prove to be futile, and they would still get distanced from the mainstream.
Things are getting curiouser and inexplicable.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Front politics in Kerala shaking up
By O J George
I have been watching with great interest the unending talkathon going on in various channels by journalists, analysts and political and non-political leaders of various hues regarding the serious seat sharing issue confronting the Left Democratic Front in Kerala.
No one has analysed the issue in such a way that there is some hidden agenda by interested parties to unseat V S Achuthanandan from Chief Ministership.
The earlier attempt was to provoke VS not to participate in the march led by bete noire Pinarayi Vijayan. But somehow that got blown over.
But the fact remains that Pinarayi Vijayan may have to give up his post of state secretary of CPM at least after the Lok Sabha elections. His faction would not want Achuthanandan to continue as Chief Minister when Pinarayi Vijayan would be counting days outside the party echelons.
The best way would be to provoke the LDF partners into parting ways. That has come into being. Janata Dal(Secular) has decided to withdraw its minister, Mathew T Thomas, from the Achuthanandan ministry.
CPI is on the verge of walking out of the front. CPM may be toying with the idea that when CPI and Janata Dal go out, it can draft PDP and NCP.
Anyway the situation is akin to a complete restructuring of the front politics in Kerala.
By O J George
I have been watching with great interest the unending talkathon going on in various channels by journalists, analysts and political and non-political leaders of various hues regarding the serious seat sharing issue confronting the Left Democratic Front in Kerala.
No one has analysed the issue in such a way that there is some hidden agenda by interested parties to unseat V S Achuthanandan from Chief Ministership.
The earlier attempt was to provoke VS not to participate in the march led by bete noire Pinarayi Vijayan. But somehow that got blown over.
But the fact remains that Pinarayi Vijayan may have to give up his post of state secretary of CPM at least after the Lok Sabha elections. His faction would not want Achuthanandan to continue as Chief Minister when Pinarayi Vijayan would be counting days outside the party echelons.
The best way would be to provoke the LDF partners into parting ways. That has come into being. Janata Dal(Secular) has decided to withdraw its minister, Mathew T Thomas, from the Achuthanandan ministry.
CPI is on the verge of walking out of the front. CPM may be toying with the idea that when CPI and Janata Dal go out, it can draft PDP and NCP.
Anyway the situation is akin to a complete restructuring of the front politics in Kerala.
Saturday, March 07, 2009
Take care, terrorism is at the door-step
By O J George
What can one say about the threat issued to our Defence Minister A.K.Antony’s son in the St Stephen’s College, Delhi?
Terrorism has no qualms about doing anything. The terror leaders do not discriminate between women, children, old people or students.
What did Antony’s son do to the terrorists? It so happens that he is the son of our Defence Minister. That is all.
The country has to give protection to the people, be he a Minister’s son or otherwise. Ordinary people may not get specific threats. In the case of Antony, it is not the case. All protection measures should be extended to Antony’s son.
Even petty underworld chieftains can wreak havoc on people they want to destroy. One can imagine the wherewithal of terrorists who have a large canvas and larger wherewithal.
St Stephen’s has taken a decision to disallow anyone into the campus without the identity card. That is all good. But the precaution is not fool-proof. One or two security people cannot catch dare-devil terrorists.Terrorists even forge identity papers.
It is not like old times when people could roam around in all camaraderie. No place is safe, therefore, be alert.
By O J George
What can one say about the threat issued to our Defence Minister A.K.Antony’s son in the St Stephen’s College, Delhi?
Terrorism has no qualms about doing anything. The terror leaders do not discriminate between women, children, old people or students.
What did Antony’s son do to the terrorists? It so happens that he is the son of our Defence Minister. That is all.
The country has to give protection to the people, be he a Minister’s son or otherwise. Ordinary people may not get specific threats. In the case of Antony, it is not the case. All protection measures should be extended to Antony’s son.
Even petty underworld chieftains can wreak havoc on people they want to destroy. One can imagine the wherewithal of terrorists who have a large canvas and larger wherewithal.
St Stephen’s has taken a decision to disallow anyone into the campus without the identity card. That is all good. But the precaution is not fool-proof. One or two security people cannot catch dare-devil terrorists.Terrorists even forge identity papers.
It is not like old times when people could roam around in all camaraderie. No place is safe, therefore, be alert.
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Largest democracy looking for its govt
By O.J.George
Many of the countries which got independence from imperialists around the time India got liberated from British yoke found themselves led by military men or dictators of other interests or totalitarian giants.
Real democracy is absent in Russia, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and what not. The majesty of Indian democracy is that it is holding the democratic exercise of electing its leaders every five years.
In spite of great diversities, languages, culture and interests, the country is holding together. The British wanted to divide British India by giving over a separate Pakistan. Now the world is suffering on account of the terrorists having a haven in Pakistan. The problem will only worsen.
In India,From April 16, there will be elections to the Lok Sabha in five phases. The 15th Lok Sabha has to be constituted by June 2, this year. By May 26, all the results will be out. The country will know who will lead its governance. Will it be BJP, Congress or a third conglomeration?
The country has provided opportunities to all varieties of governance. From absolute Congress rule to slender coalitions, BJP-led alliance and the like the country witnessed a plethora of exercises. But never did it plunge into anything other than democracy. A bad patch of emergency was quickly withdrawn.Communists turned down a golden opportunity to rule the country.
The world will see more of India in the years to come, upholding democracy
By O.J.George
Many of the countries which got independence from imperialists around the time India got liberated from British yoke found themselves led by military men or dictators of other interests or totalitarian giants.
Real democracy is absent in Russia, China, Pakistan, Bangladesh and what not. The majesty of Indian democracy is that it is holding the democratic exercise of electing its leaders every five years.
In spite of great diversities, languages, culture and interests, the country is holding together. The British wanted to divide British India by giving over a separate Pakistan. Now the world is suffering on account of the terrorists having a haven in Pakistan. The problem will only worsen.
In India,From April 16, there will be elections to the Lok Sabha in five phases. The 15th Lok Sabha has to be constituted by June 2, this year. By May 26, all the results will be out. The country will know who will lead its governance. Will it be BJP, Congress or a third conglomeration?
The country has provided opportunities to all varieties of governance. From absolute Congress rule to slender coalitions, BJP-led alliance and the like the country witnessed a plethora of exercises. But never did it plunge into anything other than democracy. A bad patch of emergency was quickly withdrawn.Communists turned down a golden opportunity to rule the country.
The world will see more of India in the years to come, upholding democracy
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