Congress draws the line on boards, corporations; UDF allies push back

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress has drawn the line on sharing boards and corporations with its UDF partners, saying it cannot concede a larger share this time, even as the September 15 deadline for completing the discussions passed without a settlement.

The Congress leadership has told the allies that the party’s strength in the new assembly — 63 MLAs against 38 in the previous UDF government in 2011 — justifies a larger share of boards and corporations to accommodate its leaders.

The stand has angered major allies such as the IUML and the Kerala Congress-Joseph, which have 22 and seven MLAs respectively. Both have sought a larger share and submitted their claims to the chief minister and KPCC leadership. They have argued that the seats vacated by Kerala Congress (M) when it moved out of the UDF should be distributed among the coalition partners.

The Congress, however, says the new assembly arithmetic cannot be ignored. “With its strength having increased substantially from the previous term, the Congress wants a larger share of the posts than it had secured last time,” said a KPCC office-bearer.

The party also points out that several smaller parties have joined the UDF despite KCM’s exit. “ New front parties such as All India Forward Bloc and Kerala Pravasi Association were denied seats on the promise of giving them due representation. Mani C Kappan’s Kerala Democratic Party and CMP were given lone seats on the promise of better representation later,” the office-bearer added.

The major allies, however, are pressing for the same boards and corporations they held in the previous government, besides additional posts following KCM’s exit from the UDF.

The Congress leadership says the CMP, which has a cabinet berth, and RMPI, which supports the UDF government, also have to be accommodated.

“The Forward Bloc and Kerala Pravasi Association, which have no representation in the assembly, have to be given proper representation,” said a senior Congress leader.

The Congress has to accommodate several MLAs and leaders who were denied party tickets in the assembly election. The party is yet to finalise the institutions it will retain and those to be handed over to allies. Though it had decided to expedite the appointments and frame criteria for selecting nominees, the power-sharing exercise has failed to move beyond the preliminary stage.

Chief Minister V D Satheesan had assured the Congress Political Affairs Committee that the distribution would be completed by September 15.

“UDF leaders failed to reach a consensus due to the Congress’ failure to finalise its decisions,” said a UDF leader.

The deadlock has also extended to cabinet rank posts. A consensus has been reached to give the Administrative Reforms Commission chairmanship to IUML leader M K Muneer and the State Elderly Commission chairperson post to KCJ chairman P J Joseph. However, the final decision will be taken with other appointments.

The All India Forward Bloc and Kerala Democratic Party have sought the Special Representative of the Kerala government in New Delhi and Norka Roots vice-chairmanship respectively, but no consensus has been reached.

The issue will be taken up at the political level when Satheesan, KPCC president Sunny Joseph, UDF convenor Adoor Prakash and Ramesh Chennithala meet after Chennithala returns from abroad on September 17.