Headlines
Kerala UDF in trouble, Mani wants George's exit
Thiruvananthapuram, March 27
Kerala's ruling
UDF faced a new crisis on Friday as Finance Minister K.M. Mani asked his
party colleague P.C. George to quit as the government's Chief Whip.
Chief
Minister Oommen Chandy told the media that Mani has in a letter to him
sought George's removal as the chief whip and also barring him from
attending the liaison committee meetings of the United Democratic Front.
"We
have had a few rounds of discussions but no decision has been taken
yet. I have to speak with other allies also. A decision will be taken
soon," Chandy said.
The Kerala Congress-Mani is the third biggest ally of the UDF and has nine legislators.
On
Thursday, barring George, all others met at Mani's residence and took
the decision regarding George. It was conveyed in a letter to Chandy by
Mani and his cabinet and party colleague P.J. Joseph.
On Friday, Chandy first spoke with George and then with Mani.
George
argued that the meeting which took place at Mani's residence was null
and void as he was not invited "and there was no unanimity in ousting
me".
"Moreover, I am not going to be cowed down by threats and
veiled attacks. Now the ball is in the court of the chief minister. So, I
continue to be the chief whip and a member of Kerala Congress (Mani),"
said the 64-year-old George, a six-time legislator from Poonjar in
Kottayam district.
In 2003, after breaking away from another
faction of the Kerala Congress, George formed his own Kerala
Congress-Secular. He contested the 2006 elections as an ally of the Left
Democratic Front.
Mid-way, he shifted to the UDF and in 2010 merged his party with the Kerala Congress-Mani.
But
since Mani was accused of taking bribes to let liquor bars open in
Kerala, George has been giving him sleepless nights. He has asked Mani
to quit as a minister.
Chandy, whose government since 2011 is
hanging on a slender majority in the 140-member Kerala assembly, has
already lost one member, K.B. Ganesh Kumar, to the opposition.
Knowing
that a disgruntled George outside the UDF will create havoc, the chief
minister is engaged in a tough balancing act vis-a-vis Mani and George.