The Congress party, through its interminable delay in announcing the next Chief Minister of Kerala, despite the huge mandate it received from the people, is making a mockery of democracy, Left Democratic Front (LDF) convener T.P. Ramakrishnan has said.

Addressing media persons in Thiruvananthapuram on Tuesday, Mr. Ramakrishnan said that the people of Kerala voted emphatically for the United Democratic Front (UDF) rule in the just-concluded Assembly elections. Despite securing a win with a huge majority, the Congress party’s high command has been delaying its decision on who should head the next government in Kerala.

The Congress party, through this indecisiveness, is disregarding the democratic verdict from the people. The party is forgetting that it has a responsibility to do justice to the wishes and aspirations of the people who voted it to power, Mr Ramakrishnan said.

He said that the LDF has no internal conflict over who should be the new Leader of the Opposition and that the LDF will announce its chosen leader as soon as the Congress decides who should lead the government.

On CPI’s demand

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) [CPI(M)] will decide the Leader of the Opposition. Mr. Ramakrishnan claimed to have no knowledge of whether the Communist Party of India (CPI) has an opinion that Pinarayi Vijayan should not hold that position.

On the CPI’s open claim for the post of the Deputy Leader of the Opposition, as was raised by CPI State secretary Binoy Viswam, Mr. Ramakrishnan cryptically stated that the issue was not raised at the LDF meeting immediately after the elections. It was for the CPI to explain its position at the next LDF meeting.

'Indiscriminate transfers'

The LDF convener also accused the Congress party of announcing administrative decisions and initiating indiscriminate transfers and postings of people in key departments, even before the formation of the government. “The Congress, on the basis of the demands raised by leaders of employee organisations affiliated to the party, has been using officials to transfer people left and right, even though the new government has not assumed office. This is not fair,” Mr. Ramakrishnan said.

He also alleged that the price of rice sold through Supplyco had been hiked by ₹2, a decision that cannot be taken without the Cabinet’s concurrence. “The LDF will support all people’s welfare initiatives and development programmes initiated by the new government. But we will put up strong opposition against such anti-people measures,” Mr Ramakrishnan said.

Allegation against Satheesan

Mr. Ramakrishnan also sought an explanation from the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee or the All India Congress Committee regarding an allegation recently raised against V.D. Satheesan by one of the television channels. He said the allegations were not raised by the CPI(M), but that the Congress leadership had a responsibility to clarify the matter to the people.