Actually, it was a notice to all those who rigidly opposed cogent solution

At one stroke, Oommen Chandy flummoxed all those who had stoutly opposed all methods of finding a solution to the vexing situation caused by the Muslim League by insisting on the fifth Minister.

The Congressmen who would not see reason and would not agree to any formula to come out of the precarious position were shown their proper place. The Muslim League got their fifth Minister but were in fact humiliated when Chief Minister Oommen Chandy divested himself of the Home portfolio.

Now the League stalwarts would have to approach a junior Minister, compared to them, for solving some of their ugly problems.

Speaker G.Karthikeyan and KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala should take notice and comrephend that there are other forms of solving problems.

UDF convener P.P.Thankachen himself had not conducted himself properly, if one sees the problem in proper perspective.

What was the situation? Everyone should have thought that the solution lay in finding alternatives, safeguarding the interests of the Congress Party and the leader of the government.

Someone may have thought that it would be safe to drive Oommen Chandy to the wall, ultimately leading to his exit. But that was a wrong perspective and unless these people see reason, there may be worse danger ahead.

Was there an attempt to derail Oommen Chandy Cabinet, to enthrone someone else?

The combined opposition to the excellent move made by Oommen Chandy to harmonise communal equation by interchange of portfolios, in the wake of failure of all other options, point to an attempt to weaken the Chief Minister.

Some interested parties might have thought that Oommen Chandy could be unseated simply by weakening his position using the fifth Minister issue.

Some reports say the IUML leaders had arrived at the conclusion at Panakad house that if the fifth Minister is not given, all the four Ministers of the Muslim League would resign and the party would offer support from outside.

That would have made the Chief Minister the weakest in Kerala’s history. And then there would have been many more attempts at change of leadership.

Oommen Chandy, being a pastmaster at perceiving danger, might have acted posthaste. No one was able to hoodwink him.

Karthikeyan was not prepared to quit the office of Speaker, a post he was reluctant to take over in the beginning. Ramesh Chennithala would not join the Cabinet. No formula would work out.

Then it was within the prerogative of the Chief Minister to interchange portfolios, of course with the concurrence of the high command.

Now all forces which might have been hoping for the possible exit of Oommen Chandy are aggrieved.

They say that they would teach Oommen Chandy a lesson by causing a defeat of the UDF candidate at Neyyattinkara.

Let everyone play his role and see what would be the outcome at Neyyattinkara. For, even if there is a defeat it would not be that disastrous.