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.