A.K. Antony does a U-turn, accepts proposal for Cong(S) alliance with Cong(I) in Kerala

The politics of expediency seems to have triumphed once again. The unusual protagonist of this sequel is A.K. Antony, the much lauded idealist who resigned from the Kerala chief ministership to protest his party's support of Mrs Gandhi's candidature at the Chikmagalur by-election.In a complete ideological somersault he has now led his partymen into accepting a proposal for an alliance with the Congress(I) in the state. This followed the Congress(S) walk-out from the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government last October, which brought about the fall of the CPI(I)-led coalition government.The move, proposed and passed at a two-day Congress(S) meeting, was described as a "majority decision", with 48 of the 58 members present supporting it. Of the dissenting 10, six are MLAs and one is a party general secretary. A prominent absentee was K.P. Unnikrishnan, AICC(S) general secretary.The reason given for this move was "the exceptional circumstances" prevailing in Kerala at the moment. Antony elaborated on this saying: "If there is no alliance with the Congress(l) the Marxists will come back to power. This we must stop under any circumstances." When asked about his former aversion to the Congress(I) he said: "I am doing it for the party. It would be political suicide to continue with our alliance with the CPI(M). I have mellowed after that bitter experience and as far as I am concerned an alliance with the Congress(l) is better than allowing the Marxists to come back to power." He also stressed that the alliance did not mean a merger with the Congress(I) and that the Congress(S) would keep its separate identity.Definite Dissent: There is, however, a very definite dissenting group within the party. Though Antony believes that the rebels "will ultimately fall in line", the reaction of the dissidents has been remarkably strong. Former minister and moving spirit behind the dissent A. C. Shanmuga Das said: "It is for the working committee to take a final decision and I hope it will be a firm one." Another prominent MLA went further to state: "If it comes to Karunakaran and Antony forming a government we will meet the Governor and stop them." According to Das there are no "exceptional circumstances" prevailing in Kerala that justify close ties with the Congress(I).The high level of acrimony showed clearly in the Cochin meeting which nearly ended in a free-for-all when Thopil Ravi, the Quilon ace president, made scathing personal remarks about P. C. Chacko, former minister in the LDF government and leader of the rebels. Chacko, 33, is reputed to be the most dynamic of the former ministers. Ravi remarked that Chacko was, "behaving like a counterfeiter who started a campaign against counterfeiting after he quit it himself." The sting in the statement lies in the allegation that Chacko's father-in-law is involved in a counterfeiting case. .preferred-source-banner{ margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom:10px;}Antony (left) and Karunakaran: expediency firstThe mud-slinging was stopped by Antony's intervention but Chacko, nevertheless, walked out of the meeting. Minutes after Chacko led his supporters out, he told India Today: "As far as we are concerned we are not part of the deal struck by the KPCC with the Congress(I). In Kerala we only listen to Sharad Pawar and will accept whatever the working committee decides at Delhi."Watching the melee from the sidelines, K. Karunakaran, the Kerala Congress(I) leader, who has now formed a United Democratic Front (UDF) to pave the way for a non-Marxist government. He has welcomed the Congress(S) decision and has said that it is "for the protection of democratic values".In the Meanwhile he is keeping very busy sowing seeds of dissent among the other parties represented in the Kerala legislative assembly. Three CPI MLAs who are supporters of veteran communist leader S. A. Dange are being watched for an imminent walkover to the UDF. In the process of being wooed are five Janata legislators.Whether the Congress(S) is able to participate in Karunakaran's optimistic plan awaits the decision of the party high command scheduled for November 28. The rebels seem to be in no mood for a compromise. As a political observer noted: "A slight nod from Pawar is enough for Chacko and his men to upset the apple cart." For the Congress(S) who last month wanted "to sit in the opposition and enjoy its cool breeze for some time", the direction in which the wind is now blowing will be determined from New Delhi. Published By: AtMigration Published On: Oct 24, 2013--- ENDS ---

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A.K. Antony does a U-turn, accepts proposal for Cong(S) alliance with Cong(I) in Kerala

The politics of expediency seems to have triumphed once again. The unusual protagonist of this sequel is A.K. Antony, the much lauded idealist who resigned from the Kerala chief ministership to protest his party's support of Mrs Gandhi's candidature at the Chikmagalur by-election.

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