The Hindu : Gangadharan calls on Isaac

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Mar 04, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Kerala-Thiruvananthapuram

Gangadharan calls on Isaac

By Our Special Correspondent

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM March. 3. The Congress deputy leader in the Assembly, M.P. Gangadharan today called on the CPI(M) MLA, T.M. Thomas Isaac, whose hunger stir demanding a judicial probe into the Muthanga action entered the fourth day.

Mr Gangadharan's appearance at the CPI(M) agitation Shamiana before the State Secretariat has set off political speculation on the re-emergence of the dormant factional feud in the Congress. Mr Gangadharan belongs to the Karunakaran camp and it is believed that he had called on Mr. Isaac with the blessings of Mr. Karunakaran.

After spending some time with Mr. Issac, Mr Gangadharan made his way to the Chief Minister's office, which is believed to have given a new dimension to the Muthanga issue.

Mr. Gangadharan, when contacted, termed his visit as a courtesy call that did not have political significance. "Mr. Isaac is a fellow MLA and a good friend. My visit does have any connection with the CPI(M) stir," he said. Asked for his views about the CPI(M)'s demand for a judicial probe, Mr. Gangadharan said that the Government and the UDF had already taken a stand on the issue and he could not be expected to take a stand to the contrary.

Mr. Gangadharan is understood to have informed Mr. Antony his views about the need for some sort of inquiry, in the face of the attempts to put the Government in the dock over the Muthanga police action.

Even though Mr. Gangadharan's action today might not be directly connected, at least for the present, to any factional move to corner the Chief Minister, it appears to be more in the line of testing the waters. The presence of a nominee from the Karunakaran faction would be enough to give additional fuel to the CPI(M) stir, it seems.

The Chief Minister had been adamant in his refusal to order a judicial probe, primarily because he views the CPI(M) stir as politically motivated. The UDF HPC has already backed his position on this and there seems to be no concrete move to open negotiations with the striking LDF to end Mr. Isaac's hunger stir. The CPI(M)-sponsored hunger stir began last week when the Opposition chief whip, K. Radhakrishnan, launched the first phase inside the precincts of the Assembly.

When the House adjourned for a two-week recess, Mr. Radhakrishnan, whose condition had worsened by that time, was replaced by Mr. Isaac, with the venue being shifted to the Secretariat.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Southern States

Stories in this Section

No end in sight to cinema crisis

Suspend load-shedding: CPI

`Kerala stayed away from BC panel meet'

Minister, partyman differ on headload Act

Gangadharan calls on Isaac