Kerala: Tough road ahead for Congress

KOCHI: The road ahead of the Congress and the United Democratic Front is a bit hazy with the CPM-led Left Democratic Front raking up various issues, including the palmolein case and the UDF Government’s tactics for survival during the division on the Appropriation Bill.In the coming days, the Congress and the UDF would be on the defensive with the LDF intensifying their agitation for the resignation of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy on the palmolein issue.The LDF has already given a clarion call for mass agitations on August 23 across the state demanding the CM’s resignation.The LDF has also declared that the agitation would be intensified, which is going to be a real headache for the ruling Front and the Congress.Moreover, the Congress would be in deep trouble if the Vigilance Department, which has been given three months’ time to probe Chandy’s role in the 1992 palmolein oil import deal, manages to dig out some proof.Though the Congress had decided to counter ‘politically’ the LDF campaign against the Chief Minister, the ruling UDF is grappling with a crisis and would be really facing big challenges at the hands of the LDF that wants the issue to be in the limelight.However, UDF convenor and senior Congress leader P P Thankachan told ‘Express’ that they would resist the LDF by conducting campaigns in all the constituencies and panchayats.The CPM and the LDF are also likely to raise the issue of the controversial voting on the Appropriation Bill in the Assembly.  The LDF would be banking on the Speaker’s delay of the voting procedure as some Treasury Bench legislators were absent.On the controversial voting issue, Thankanchan said the issue did not carry much weight but would still be  included in the campaigns against the LDF propaganda.