CPM puts all eggs in the electoral basket of V.S.Achuthanandan

This Assembly election in Kerala is peculiar about one thing, the Left Democratic Front, particularly the CPM, has put all the eggs in one basket while seeking electoral fortunes.

This single basket containing all the eggs of the CPM, CPI and other parties is held aloft by none other than irrepressible V.S.Achuthanandan, the Chief Minister.
Now even his detractors, within the party, are aglow with the ambience of being within the proximity of the Chief Minister.

An arch critic like Finance Minister Dr Thomas Isaac had to fall in line with Achuthanandan to try to see whether he can retain his seat.

All this, while the party was confronted with the fact that the previous Parliament election and the subsequent local bodies polls had projected the image that all these were a review of the functioning of the LDF government led by V.S.Achuthanandan. And the LDF had done poorly in the two massive elections.

Now suddenly the LDF, particularly Achuthanandan, got a lot of brownie points through the incarceration of R.Balakrishna Pillai in jail following the Idamalayar corruption case, revelations of K.A.Rauf, co-brother of P.K.Kunjalikutty, about his being an ally of Kunjalikutty in wrong-doings and the latest attempts to drag in Oommen Chandy in the palmolein case.

Definitely Achuthanandan is a lucky leader, for all these campaign points came to him just on the eve of the Assembly elections and he has been successful in carrying on his characteristic diatribe against his detractors everywhere.

The CPM, on its own volition, had no other go, for it has to face the stark reality of being relegated to the background, losing the status of a national party if it loses both West Bengal and Kerala. And the party is not prepared to take chances, which explains why it has given a free hand to Achuthanandan to regain power in Kerala, if at all it is possible.

Now everyone, from the votaries of the rival faction in the party, as well as constituent partners are soliciting Achuthanandan to lead their campaign at least once in their respective constituencies.

As far as Achuthanandan is concerned, his is a no-holds-barred warfare against his rivals, come what may.

Root out starvation, give education, healthcare, dwelling places; then you are a developed nation

We should be happy that political parties are competitively forward in announcing largesse to the electorate, of course to win their favour in the elections.
Whatever it is, it should be noted that a government should be responsible to see that no citizen should go starving for a day in the country. To that extent to whatsoever extent parties go to announce freebies in the eating sector, that should be welcomed.

Let people eat first and then discuss about other things. CPM-led LDF announced its Rs two a kilogramme rice supply and now UDF says it would supply 25 kilos of rice at one rupee per kilo to below-the-poverty line people and the same quantity at Rs two to Above-the-poverty line. It should be fair enough, even though the line distinguishing between the BPL and the APL is very thin.

Perhaps in course of time, the government would be able to supply subsidised rice to APL in tune with income range or so.

Another thing is the intention to give agricultural loan at three per cent to people, as per the UDF manifesto. That is also good, for development in the farm sector has not been picking up to a great extent. The growth in the farm sector should be at least four per cent which at present is slightly more than two per cent.
Agricultural loan should not be confined to issuing the same for gold loans at the rate of agricultural loans. Agriculturists should not feel the pinch of money for plouging, sewing and reaping and also marketing.

Maybe a state government cannot do this, but whoever is responsible should think about providing more flexible educational loans for professional education. Our youth are poised to achieve a quantum jump in achieving professional education, which is held in awe by even developed powers like the US and UK. China may also be not happy with our youth peaking at educational achievements. I always believe the government can totally write off the loans issued to deserving students for undertaking professional education. That is one way of lifting our youth by a quantum jump in the education sector which ultimately would raise the income sector upto the level of raising national income.

Eradicate starvation, provide good education and ensure proper healthcare for the people , coupled with dwelling places. You are then a developed nation.

VS has nothing more to gain; perhaps only re-entry into politburo remains

When Dr Thomas Isaac, in spite of his stiff opposition to some of the views and actions of Chief Minister, wanted V.S.Achuthanandan to be given a seat in the April 13 Asssembly elections, it should have been noted very well.

For Dr Thomas Isaac, the Finance Minister under Achuthanandan, knew it very well that the LDF candidates, particularly the CPM ones, would find it difficult to face the electorate without Achuthanandan in the fray.

The electorate, if it has the feeling that Achuthanandan was left wounded, would strike back, he knew. That was the time the leaders concerned should have fallen in line. But they did not do so and so the situation went out of hand and finally something like a re-enactment of 2006 got played out- in spite of whatever is being bandied about by Home Minister and politburo member Kodiyeri Balakrishnan has said to the effect that no decision was taken to deny a seat to Achuthanandan.

All the LDF candidates feel elated, perhaps selfishly, at Achuthanandan leading the flock. And for Achuthanandan there is nothing more to be gained than becoming the Opposition Leader, in the wake of LDF not getting majority.

Perhaps something more remains to be gained like re-entry into the politburo from where he was jettisoned.

What would be the role of V.S.Achuthanandan in the CPM after denial of a seat for him?

It would be amusing to see whether Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan would be given a senior role in the party after he has been denied a seat to contest the ensuing Assembly elections.

The state unit of the party, under the powerful grip of state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan, has always been against him, but his so-called popularity had catapulted him earlier to become the Chief Minister.

Now when the sex scandal case of P.K.Kunjalikutty came up afresh, R.Balakrishna Pillai has been imprisoned in the Idamalayar case and Oommen Chandy is being attempted to be arrayed as an accused in the palmolein case, it was thought that the party would be forced to accept V.S.Achuthanandan as leader of the LDF as slight chance of the LDF coming back to power remained.


An ordinary onlooker should have been prone to think that the party would accede to Achuthanandan’s wishes to contest the election to get a foot-hold in Kerala, as the chances of the party romping home to victory in West Bengal are rare. Some people thought the party would think about avoiding a double blow to it in West Bengal and Kerala.

But the party is prepared to face any eventuality and it would not allow anyone to go overboard and disobey its diktat, even if he is V.S.Achuthanandan.
In 2006, there was strong clamour from grass-roots level workers to give a seat to V.S.Achuthanandan who had fought very hard against the UDF as the Opposition Leader previously.

Would there be any reaction from the cadre this time? One has to wait and watch.

Do we really value our sort of democracy in which one can open up and shout anything?

Men do not live by bread alone, for men and women should have the freedom of expression. That is what we have in India; rather it may be too much. Still we should count it our blessing to have been born in India, in this case, albeit we are a corrupt nation.

Compare the situation to China, where its Prime Minister Wen Jiabao has categorically ruled out a multi-party system. He has offered some restructuring to the existing state of affairs, but everything will be within the parameters of the existing Communist Party.

Wen Jiabao has also said the mass upsurge in African, Arabian and Gulf countries would not spill over to China. He may know it for a fact that any rebellion could be brutally quelled, a la Tienanmen Square protests of 1989.

Chinese leaders are a peculiar breed, for they had idolized Mao-tse-Tung, but had jailed his wife and three others who were following the diktat of the great leader.

We cannot say the people of the world are not concerned about the lack of freedom for the people of China, as it does not have a multi-party system.
Every day, in India, what sort of cacophony we do not make, Congress, BJP, Communists, Socialists and who else?

Our Communists are also a fine lot, for they can work in a multi-party system.

We must be grateful to the founding fathers of the Constitution for making our people totally free.

Dragging Oommen Chandy in palmolein case at this hour: Could it not be an insider job?

The Vigilance court has been magnanimous enough to observe that its sanction for re-investigation in the palmolein case was only a technical one. When the court is informed about the need for re-investigation by the prosecution, it has to relent, going by the Supreme Court directive in such situations.

The court did not go into the merits of the case, it only gave the green signal to go ahead with re-investigation.

No doubt, the trump card for LDF to pursue re-investigation was provided by accused T.H.Musthafa who was the Food and Civil Supplies Minister when palmolein was imported. He had mentioned in his discharge petition that Oommen Chandy in his capacity as the-then Finance Minister had cleared the deal.

Which implies that the onus, if he has any, would be the same for Oommen Chandy as well. At least a section of the LDF was baying for the blood of Oommen Chandy. The observation of Musthafa has added fuel to the fire. This does not mean that anyone would be found guilty or not. The thing is the process of conviction or acquittal involves a long time and it would be tormenting for the persons concerned.

Now the intention is clear, there would be a firm move against Oommen Chandy; whether that succeeds or fizzles out is for the time to prove.

K.R.Gowri Amma’s valuable decision any time now, P.J.Joseph smiling within

Ninety-two-year-old K.R.Gowri Amma, of the Janadhipadhya Samrakshana Samithi, cannot be appeased by the Congress-led UDF.

For, she is not happy with the four seats unwillingly conceded by the Congress for her party. Congress was willing to part with only three seats, but she has pestered the UDF leaders to such an extent that they seem to have agreed to part with four seats, the additional one seat apparently for her to contest.

Earlier, the Congress leaders were not prepared to give her a seat, the three seats being meant for younger elements in her party. But Gowri Amma wants to contest the elections this time as well and if the UDF wins she wants to become a Minister. Perhaps, the UDF was not willing to go the whole hog as to anoint her a Minister.
Gowri Amma has been trying to build bridges with the CPM-led LDF all the while and she may get a toe-hold herself in the LDF. But her supporters are not welcome.

Gowri Amma’s party is scheduled to meet again on Sunday to decide about the future course of action, including pull-out from the UDF to move to the LDF.

Reports speak about the younger elements not keen to join her in the LDF. If Gowri Amma decides to part with the UDF, most probably there would be a split in her party.
Politics is warming up at the last-minute prior to the elections.

Meanwhile, K.M.Mani of the Kerala Congress (M), who has ingrained into his party the P.J.Joseph faction a few months ago, is haggling to the hilt to ferret out as much as he can. The merger of P.J.Joseph faction without consultations with the Congress Party has been proving to be problematic in many ways.

The happiest persons would be the leaders of the P.J.Joseph faction, for they did not have to speak up against LDF leaders, particularly CPM leaders, as they parted ways with the LDF.

Normally a parting of ways would generate political heat and dust, but Joseph managed things in such a manner that Mani had to take the brunt of criticism from the Congress. One has to consider the amount of diatribe M.P.Veerendrakumar had to spout prior to and after his Janata Dal left the LDF.

But P.J.Joseph, Mons Joseph and T.U.Kuruvilla, who were all ministers in the present V.S.Achuthanandan Ministry coolly walked over to the UDF in a basket carried by K.M.Mani.

Joseph might be keeping his furtive smile within.

Front leadership, seat sharing, candidate selection:Will it be that insurmountable?

If one goes by reports of various media, it would seem heaven is going to fall considering the bickering, bargaining and the clash of will in both UDF and LDF, perhaps to a greater extent as usual in the UDF,with regard to who should lead the front, how many seats to be shared and who should contest?

The media are more worked up than the fronts in the matter, going by the fervour with which they take up the issue.

It would appear as though no one is willing to give a seat to V.S.Achuthanandan, some others may also be in the fray about leading the LDF, will he won’t he about Pinarayi Vijayan, or Kodiyeri being roped in from the politburo, no one particularly saying about Thomas Isaac leading the bandwagon and like that.

Achuthanandan may be laughing alound in his heart and mind, for his candidature or question of leading the front has always been a decision to be taken at the last moment by the central leadership. And there won’t be much trouble in seat sharing as well.

In the UDF, media have already thought of about finding a leader in addition to Oommen Chandy. When it sounded like Ramesh Chennithala would be contesting, the media have almost found a substitute leader.

Is there something new in the development? For in the Congress, there would always be at least two power centres, otherwise the leader may think he is infallible. That was the fault of K.Karunakaran for some time. Congress would not leave one leader as the supreme one.

The tussle between Congress and Kerala Congress(M)is worth the media hype only. Kerala Congress(M) cannot go it alone. They know it for a fact. They would be happy in their innermost hearts, if Congress approves of the merger of Joseph group into KC(M). All the MLAs of Joseph group have been ministers in the present Achuthanandan ministry for some time. Congress approving of these individuals by okaying their candidature would be a heaven-sent for the KC(M).

As far as K.R.Gowri Amma is concerned, the Congress is fed up with her for her acerbic comments. It would not mind her moving back to the LDF, as it can ensure the younger elements in JSS latching on to the UDF?

Everyone wants seat thinking that victory is easy

For the simple fact that Kerala returns rival fronts for governance alternatively, clamour for seats in the UDF is more fervent than that in the LDF.

There are any number of candidates for the Congress Party who want to try it out at the hustings. And the party would like to field as many candidates as possible. But the alliance partners also want to fleece maximum out of the available treasure.

Who can blame 92-year-old K.R.Gowri Amma if she wants to try her luck this time as well? But she wants Congress Party to ensure her victory by providing her a safe seat.

As for M.V.Raghavan, he may not speak much for more seats and all. But he would surely be a candidate.

This time, IUML could be an alliance partner which is comparably safer for the Congress to handle. The harshest bargain could be from Kerala Congress (M) which claims that its strength has skyrocketed following the merger of the P.J.Joseph faction with it.

The Joseph group candidates would all be former Ministers in the V.S.Achuthanandan ministry. This is precisely something that worries the Congress in their Assembly constitutencies. Media give out the feeling that everything is smooth and safe for Mons Joseph.

During the Kerala Mochana Yatra trail, the leaders’ pictures that were splashed around in the constituency had his face cut out by interested parties. The rebels are there aplenty, as elsewhere in many places. All the same, they feel comfortable going with the UDF.

In the LDF camp, the picture is something of confidence after the new revelations in the ice cream parlour case, imprisonment of R.Balakrishna Pillai, attempt to drag in Oommen Chandy in the palmolein case etc.

Then will there be the same scenario with V.S.Achuthanandan leading the flock, even as the CPM party power holders are opposed to him?

The UDF and LDF situation offers food for thought for the electorate.

Implement Right to Services, civil servants and the public would be saved

We have now before us the case of P.J.Thomas who had to quit as Chief Vigilance Commissioner following Supreme Court verdict against his appointment. Everyone must abide by the diktat of the court, and he has resigned.

But there is a problem sticking with the civil service. Should not they have to say yes to the demands of the political bosses? If not, would not they be chucked out or dumped in some inconsequential posts?

There may be some civil servants who would happily and overenthusiastically do everyting for the political bosses-meaning they would crawl when they are asked to bend.

Then there are others who would obey grudgingly fearing that there would be repercussions. Over-enthusiasm, fear and other interested dimensions can be tackled, if the civil service can be allowed to function legally and with a service motive.

Suppose we have a Right to Services Act which says whatever services are offered by various government institutions, bodies and entities dealing with public affairs, would be done by the official concerned within a timeframe of a few weeks. Otherwise they would be penalized, if there are no cogent reasons against non-action.

The person would not dance to the tune of the political bosses. Law will take its course, for him or her.

The Right to Information Act has more or less worked because there was a penal clause against the information officer who does not divulge the information to the seeker within a justifiable time-frame.

This is not enough, the Right to Information should have a promotion to the Right to Services, for the good of the civil servant as well as the people. The civil servant would not hesitate to take action, he or she would not kowtow to the unjustifiable demands of the political bosses. If he or she demurs, the person would suffer for it. That way avoidable problems can be solved and the public would have a heaven of a service.

In the international arena, what India is dubbed about is with regard to the governance deficit on account of corruption.

The whole image can be salvaged if the Right to Services Act is brought in and implemented.

Some of the same players would remain in the Assembly election arena in Kerala

No doubt, Kerala will have old players calling the shots in the Assembly elections being held on April 13, in all the parties and fronts, even if some have crossed over to rival fronts.

It is certain we would have V.S.Achuthanandan, Oommen Chandy, K.M.Mani, K.R.Gowri Amma, M.V.Raghavan, T.M.Jacob and the like. Mani would insist on giving the Thodupuzha seat to P.J.Joseph, but there would be UDF internecine actions against Joseph, even if he is given the seat. The Congress Party apparatus in Idukki district is dead against Joseph’s candidature. Joseph seems to be prepared to take the risk, for he has a history of taking electoral risks.

Mani would seek a bigger portion of the electoral cake, and the Congress may give in a bit.

M.P.Veerendrakumar would decide for himself whether he would try his hand at the Assembly elections. Son Sreyamskumar would definitely be there.
Controversy-marred P.K.Kunjalikutty has an option to keep off, to save the UDF. But that is for him or the Indian Union Muslim League to decide. Or would the Congress press for it, at least in camera?

If Kunjalikutty is kept out, would Muneer be allowed to be in?
Gowri Amma wants an assurance from the Congress that it would ensure her victory. But the Congress Party seems to be looking askance at her demand for five seats for her party, the JSS.

The candidate list of CPI, RSP etc would also have some of the current leaders.
Seat sharing among the UDF partners, candidate selection in the Congress Party etc would be formidable for the UDF. The bargain would be much harsher than that in the LDF, for the LDF has lesser number of partners and there are a large number of available seats.

For the Congress Party, the exercise as is its wont would be a last-minute affair. Most probably, K.Muraleedharan and sister Padmaja would get seats. If Muraleedharan keeps a low profile and works for the party, it would do him good.
KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala, V.M.Sudheeran and others would be there in the list.

The great electoral exercise in five states announced, life-and-death ambience for many parties

Elections to five states have been announced and in Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Puducherry (Pondicherry) it would be on April 13, a day prior to the festival of Vishu. All the three states will have single-phase election. In Assam, there will be two phases and in West Bengal there will be six phases. Counting for all states will be on May 13, when the fate will be sealed.

For the CPM, West Bengal has been shaking, something unthinkable a few years ago. Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress is itching to take over after more than 30 years of leftist rule there.

As per the relevant experience, Kerala has been returning Congress-led UDF and CPM-led LDF regimes one after the other. Neither front has been able to retain power after one tenure. In that case, CPM-led LDF will have to bite the dust. A double blow for the CPM, indeed.

But the CPM, in recent days, has been pleased with the harsh developments overtaking some leaders of the UDF. Balakrishna Pillai is in jail in the Idamalayar case, nothing less than one-year rigorous imprisonment. And he cannot contest the forthcoming elections either. Of course, his son, K.B.Ganeshkumar is very much there to lead the party.

P.K.Kunjalikutty of the Indian Union Muslim League has been exposed by his own co-brother, alleging that the sex scandal from which he escaped earlier was because of suppressive measures. Now the arena is filled with moves and counter-moves.

Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan and his son, Arunkumar, have been attacked by the UDF with wrong-doings. One allegation is that the Chief Minister withdrew from the move to cause a CBI inquiry into the lottery muddle. Achuthanandan puts the onus on the Central Government led by the Congress. The Congress puts the blame on the Chief Minister as he was wrongly influenced by his son, the allegation goes.

Now the arena is agog with a lot of allegations, with the Chief Minister saying that a lot of UDF leaders would go to jail for their wrong-doings.

There has been a move to drag Chief Ministerial hopeful Oommen Chandy in the palmolein case. Things are hotting up, with Achuthanandan himself likely to contest the elections again.

Will it bring in an inclusive growth?

Pranab Mukherjee has spoken through his budget proposals which, let us hope, would bring in inclusive growth, without which the country cannot claim actual progress.

A country with five million people living below the poverty line, meaning a lot of them are going hungry every day, should be able to say this country’s progress belongs to them also.

Micro financing companies would get Rs 100 crore and poor people would remain linked to that. Would they be left out of the bigger banking system?

Bringing back Rs 140 lakh crore black money stashed abroad by politicians, businessmen, and other worthies is not an easy task. The Finance Minister says some five-step process is being pursued. That will not bring back the money.

Maybe, no government can outrightly say let the black money be brought back to the country, we will pardon you, or there could be some sort of voluntary disclosure. Perhaps, it would be better than leaving the gargantuan amount of money being kept abroad.

The US could get back their money from abroad because of their strength, other countries would answer to its call. Otherwise, it would pester them. India has not reached that stage in arm-twisting.

So dealing with black money is as good as left out.

Middle class people are taken care of, income tax ceiling limit hike, considering 60 year-olds as senior citizens, special provision for very senior citizens etc are definitely good.

The government says there would be direct payment of subsidies regarding cooking gas, kerosene and fertilizers for below-the-poverty line people.
There is a provision of Rs 1.61 lakh crore for food security, which should indirectly help the farm sector as well as the poor people. Rural employment payment would be inflation figures-based.

Would it finally end up with winding up our public distribution system and the ration shops?

For Kerala, there is a grant of Rs 100 crore for a veterinary unit at Pookode and Rs 50 crore for Malappuram campus of Aligarh Muslim University.

Kochi Metro has not found mention whereas other Metros have got provision.

LDF Government means business, it is trying to nab more UDF leaders in palmolein case

Now it has become clear, the LDF Government would not spare anyone from being netted in the palmolein case, if there is slight possibility.

On Saturday, it filed a petition before the Special Judge and Enquiry Commissioner looking into Vigilance cases, to have a re-investigation in the palmolein case now that new revelations have come up.

It has also been mentioned that there would be other accused in the case.
The case has been posted to be heard on March 7, when it could be known what are the new grounds being bandied about.

After the demise of former Chief Minister K.Karunakaran, T.H.Musthafa who was the Food Minister during the palmolein import has become the first accused.

He has filed a discharge petition before the court mentioning that just as the-then Finance Minister Oommen Chandy was not included in the array of the accused, he should also be excluded from the case.

Now this mention has given a stick for the LDF Government to beat the UDF leaders with. Even as Musthafa has later been saying that he had not said anything against Oommen Chandy, his comparison has raised eye-brows.

Now the LDF Government is picking up from this point and trying to rope in others, possibly Oommen Chandy.

Sound and fury would aggravate in the coming days, prior to Assembly elections

Kerala is now witnessing a cacophony of allegations by the LDF against UDF and by the UDF against the LDF, particularly Chief Minister V.S.Achuthanandan and his son, Arunkumar.

It seems the UDF had a soft corner earlier towards the Chief Minister as he was involved, the UDF thought, in a diatribe against his detractors in the CPM. The UDF had given the party a long rope to entangle itself in the war cry among the leaders.

Now that elections are around the corner, that situation has changed, for the Chief Minister is going hammer and tongs against the UDF leaders and the CPM as a whole is jubilant about it. Now the UDF, particularly the Congress Party, has energised itself attacking the Chief Minister with allegations on a daily basis about his son’s alleged involvement in murky matters.

The LDF Government is issuing last-minute orders on a daily basis apparently to appease the electorate. There is no harm in it, for any government would be doing such things to refurbish its image as a welfare entity.

But then, the Opposition has every right to rip open the farcical exercise, if any, of the ruling dispensation. And the people at large would take a decision at the hustings.

But then the people should not be overburdened with an overdose of emotional largesse and the allegations and counter-allegations should not erupt out into a law and order problem.

Some people are like the ilk of M.A.John, Fate would not allow them in abodes of power

M.A.John was a well-read man, a scarce variety in politics, and when such few persons in politics with vast expanse of knowledge and thinking have got cosy positions, he was left without power and pelf.

People could say he was a maverick, the term the media confer on people who do not conform to ordinary and freely-available ways, even if the ways are evil to secure positions and pots of gold.

M.A.John was leading a movement in the seventies and there were slogans written on all conceivable places in Kerala saying M.A.John Namme Nayickum (M.A.John will lead us).

He used to address packed audiences and I have seen him speaking to a packed Senate Hall in Thiruvananthapuram, with the audience remaining in rapt attention. And he was an icon for students and youths. Could be he was a fundamentalist in idealism, which might have divested him of all opportunities. Corruption was anathema to him.

He didn’t care about the consequences of his speeches and views and thinking people would be wondering whether there would be such human beings in Kerala again.
No doubt such people enrich societal life with their unblemished record.

Will the new media herald in a new political era in Kerala? After doing wonders in the Arab world

We had media over-play in the politicalscape in Kerala over the years, but can we say that the media played a substantial role in any churning process in the State?

At best we can say that the media could play a role in establishing one-term left rule succeeded by another-term right rule. Surely, there has not been a devastating change in the politicalscape in the state.

We may have scams, assertions of good deeds done, X is better than Y, but did we have a revolution of a change? Not at all.

But we do not know what the most- new media like social networks would usher in for the people of the most literate state of Kerala. Literacy does not mean it could be harbouring a high-potential knowledge society.

It was the knowledge-society that ripped open a cleavage in the politicalscape in the Arab world, right through Egypt, Tunisia, Sudan, Bahrain, Libya and the like. The tyrants may strike powerfully against the popular uprising, but there cannot be wiping out of the knowledgeable minds.

But in Kerala, the resentment is there for five years against one set of parties to be quickly followed by the same sort of resentment for another five years against the same set of parties which were earlier given the reins of power.
All the same, we don’t have tyrants and tormentors, and that is some mercy

There may have been outbursts many, but let there be a clean slate for Muraleedharan in Congress

At last the Kerala unit of the Congress Party has cleared the request of K.Muraleedharan for re-entry into the party. And there is no reason why the high command should say no. On the contrary, Sonia Gandhi may re-induct him soon.

In the realm of politics, there may have been a lot of bad blood between parties, groups and individuals on one count or the other. Particularly so in the Congress Party. There cannot be an eternal block for any individual in the Congress Party as in the CPM or so.

For some time, K.Karunakaran and K.Muraleedharan had entertained hopes of capturing the party for themselves. But time proved that it could not be per se. Now Muraleedharan appears to be a chastened man. Karunakaran had particularly wanted his son’s return to the party.

After a lot of bickering, it was not possible for the party to take him back on the dot as he had requested. Therefore, much talk of the delay in his being drafted back to the party would not be desirable.

In course of time, Muraleedharan would naturally get his due in the party to which he was the PCC president once. But now he should not be carried away by exhortations of his old acolytes who may not be that dependable always.

All the best for Muraleedharan

Want transparent judiciary with ills uncovered or ‘potent’ judiciary with ills covered up?

We have to live up to the times, no limb of the Constitution should be left untouched in the matter of corruption. At least that is what the people want.

If there is a grain of truth in what is being blared out by some people against some of the members of the judiciary, even if the revelations be for their own selfish interests, it would be high time to go in for correction.

At least the judges who are clean and who live a life within the constraints of the judiciary should take up the matter and call for a complete overhaul. If all people go on compromising, thinking why should I court trouble by interfering, corruption even in the judiciary would prolong until an explosion time.

The charges are that the kin of former Chief Justice of India K.G.Balakrishnan have amassed immense disproportionate wealth, meaning getting support of the former CJI himself, that two judges of Kerala High Court had received bribe in the ice cream parlour case, that MP K.Sudhakaran was witness to a Supreme Court judge receiving hefty bribe in the bar licence case etc, unless probed and finalized, would besmirch the judiciary.

There can be no justificiation now-a-days to enforce a rule to see that nothing should be said against a judge, even if he or she is patently corrupt.
Advancement of democratic governance in the world emphasises the need for an open judiciary and not a covered up judiciary.

No doubt, the higher judgement of God Almighty, to whom every good and evil is transparent, would not leave a judge who dispenses justice on the basis of an illegal purse being presented to him or her. God would not spare travesty of justice.

If one analyses the futility of acquiring a lot of money, and that too quite illegally and to the torment of innocent people, no one would be attracted to graft of any sort. But then, men have lost their reason and it has gone to beasts, Jawaharlal Nehru once said.

Political leaders caught in the quagmire of corruption litigation

Each day brings in fresh developments one way or other involving political leaders in corruption cases.

When R.Balakrishna Pillai has been given one-year rigorous imprisonment in the Idamalayar case, another development is with regard to Kuriarkutty-Karappara project involving T.M.Jacob. The Supreme Court has asked for the review report regarding the project from the state government.

It is noteworthy that the state government itself had challenged the exclusion of T.M.Jacob from the irregularities in the Kuriarkutty-Karappara project. That means when V.S.Achuthanandan remains in power, Jacob may also have to suffer going through various procedures.

When things stood like this, the palmolein case is throwing fresh dimensions with former Food Minister and Congressman T.H.Musthafa trying to wriggle himself out of the case roping in Oommen Chandy in the matter.

Musthafa has filed a discharge petition before the special vigilance court, Thiruvananthapuram, saying Oommen Chandy who was the Finance Minister, had given the green signal for import of palmolein.

So why Oommen Chandy was excluded and he was included in the case, asks Musthafa. All these developments are taking place because of the demise of K.Karunakaran. Otherwise he could have been receiving the butt of criticism, but he had managed to secure a stay from the Supreme Court against trying him in the palmolein case.

Lavalin case involving CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan is also getting live. An open warrant has been issued by the special court against Claus Trendl, former vice-president of SNC Lavalin company. He has been eluding notices issued by the court earlier.

Now it is free-for-all, the situation opening up new vistas of campaign for the ensuing Assembly elections.