Kerala: Growing discontent within Satheesan's government revealed through recent appointments
Barely four months into office, fractures within Kerala's V.D. Satheesan government appear to be deepening over a series of high-ranking government appointments. At a press conference on Thursday, senior Congress MP and United Democratic Front (UDF) convenor Adoor Prakash said crucial decisions were being taken "without keeping me in the loop" and that he was "forced to give answers to the party workers." Prakash indicated he would raise his discontent with the All India Congress Committee (AICC) leadership.
Prakash's statement was provoked by the Cabinet's decision to appoint M.K. Muneer, a senior leader of ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), as chairperson of the administrative reforms commission, and Forward Bloc national general secretary G. Devarajan as the special representative of Kerala government in Delhi. Both positions carry Cabinet-rank status. These posts, originally created by the previous Left Democratic Front government to rehabilitate senior leaders, had several Congress contenders. The appointments have sparked particular discontent as they bring IUML's Cabinet-rank positions under this government to six, following the party's backing of Satheesan in the chief minister's contest.
Prakash emphasized that the UDF was never consulted on the two appointments and called for Satheesan, as UDF chairperson, to convene a meeting. Sources close to Satheesan countered that the issue had been "discussed in the past and had been settled."
