(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Chandy later asserted the governments authority saying that the cabinet decision on the changes in the liquor policy was final.
Trivandrum: The tussle between the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) and the party-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government over the liquor policy has worsened with the party chief V M Sudheeran trying to strengthen his position by nominating four leaders close to him to the party-government coordination committee.
The four new members are Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien Congress Parliamentary Party secretaries Kodikunnil Suresh and K.C. Venugopal and KPCC vice-president Lally Vincent. Sudheeran announced the expansion of the panel after majority of the legislators rallied behind the chief minister over the liquor policy.
Chandy later asserted the government’s authority saying that the cabinet decision on the changes in the liquor policy was final. Sudheeran indirectly countered Chandy on Tuesday by asking those in power not to think that they can control everything. He reminded that the people supporting them may desert them after they lose power.
The KPCC president pointed out the experience of veteran Congress leader and former chief minister K Karunakaran who remained isolated in the Congress after his clout over the party leadership in New Delhi was weakened following the death of the then prime minister Indira Gandhi and his subsequent loss of power in the state.
The detractors of Sudheeran in the Congress view the expansion of the party-government coordination committee as part of his move to tighten his grip on the government. With the induction of four new members Sudheeran is expected to get a few supporters in the panel which is now loaded heavily in favour of the two factions led by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala.
The expansion of the panel is considered significant since a major decision of the informal Congress parliamentary party meeting held at Trivandrum on Monday was better coordination between the party and the government. Majority of the 31 MLAs who attended the meeting wanted the differences between the two resolved at forums like this.
Sudheeran who was under fire for his adamant stand on the liquor policy has not been convening the party committees including the party-government panel for some time. Several MLAs had criticized him for his failure to provide them a forum to express their opinions.
The leader who did not want to be identified pointed out that leaders within the state were mostly included in the panel as they will be available to attend the meeting whenever it is convened. Political observers see the latest developments as a clear sign of the government and the party heading for a confrontation.
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