'Congress-led UDF Not Able to Perform the Role of Opposition'

Thiruvananthapuram: Congress-led UDF is not able to perform the role of Opposition, this is the criticism from within the Congress party and the UDF coalition.

The remark by former KPCC president and MLA K Muraleedharan that the Opposition was unable to expose the administrative failure of the LDF government, and the congress leadership is unable to react appropriately on important issues started this fresh trouble.

Many leaders have joined the bandwagon and it gave ammunition to the Congress A group to attack Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and KPCC president.

The A faction in Congress in the state is led by Oommen Chandy and the I faction by Ramesh Chennithala.

The I group is also trying to show this as an attack against the PCC chief V M sudheeran.

Meanwhile, many leaders in the Congress echoed the opinion of Muraleedharan.

A Congress MLA said many Congress leaders and the rank and file of the party feel that the Opposition is not being effective.

"The main problem is that the three leaders, KPCC president V M sudheeran, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and former CM oommen chandy are not working together. The three of them have differences of opinion and they are not ready to bury the hatchet and work together. A solution could be reached if the three leaders sit together and discuss, which is not happening," said the lawmaker.

The leader also said that the leaders are not understanding the ground realities and the vulnerable situation the Congress is in.

Even leaders from the UDF coalition have reflected the view that the Opposition has not been able to take up the issues concerning the people.

The war of words between K Muraleedharan and former KPCC spokesperson Rajmohan Unnithan led to resignation of the latter as the spokesperson.

Unnithan was also greeted by eggs when he went for the DCC meeting in Kollam on Wednesday.

Muraleedharan is also reported to have said that the leaders are only interested in increasing their personal mileage by showing faces in television channels.

He added that there are several issues in the state related to law and order and ration delivery but this was not taken up.

He said other than issuing statements on several issues no protests were organised to highlight the failures of the left government.

Ramesh chennithala tried to play down the criticism, saying that he views the criticism positively.

The objective of all criticising the functioning of the Opposition was to strengthen the UDF.

Chennithala said that the UDF has been at the forefront in leading a series of agitations against the LDF Government's lapses, including agitation against government decision to private self financing medical colleges.

After Muraleedharan's statement, Rajmohan Unnithan, former KPCC Spokesperson said that Muraleedharan was a constant trouble maker and playing into the hands of the opponents.

After Muraleedharan's statement the Indian Union Muslim league also came out with the same opinion related to the functioning of the Opposition.

E T Muhammed Basheer, MP, said that they are also of the opinion that UDF is not functioning as effective Opposition but he also said that they will not speak anything about the internal matter of the Congress.

Meanwhile, V D Satheeshan, MLA and vice president of KPCC executive Committee, said that the statement of Muraleedharan was untimely.

"Fourteen new DCC presidents were appointed and they should have been given some time to function. Muraleedharan should have restrained from such statements in public, it should have been raised in the party committee," said Satheeshan.

Muraleedharan complained that there is no party forum available to say things.

"Right now we have no party meetings, the PCC executive committee has not met for the past five months. The high power committee is also not meeting," said Muraleedharan.

Even after all these the PCC chief, V M Sudheeran has only said that the incidents are unfortunate and leaders should refrain from making public statements.

He also added that the Congress will work together. But looking at the turn of events things are not so easy for Congress in the state.