Kerala polls: Opposition rakes up backdoor appointments

As Kerala heads for Assembly polls, protests have erupted against PSC backdoor appointments. Meanwhile, NSS denounced all three parties in their stance on Sabarimala issue. Mani C Kappan's decision after meeting NCP national president Sharad Pawar is keenly watched over.

Thiruvananthapuram: As the ground for the Assembly election in Kerala gets set, the State witnesses more protests from the Opposition. Amid emerging controversies regarding backdoor appointments made by the LDF, protests organised by the opposition parties have intensified. Another suicide attempt was reported in front of the Secretariat, in the State capital on Tuesday also. Protests from the youngsters are likely to grow stronger in the coming days.

Sabarimala issue was brought up in between the protest heat too. On Tuesday, the Nair Service Society (NSS) came up criticising all the three fronts in the way each of them handled the Sabarimala women entry verdict.

According to the NSS, the BJP, which is at the Centre, could easily resolve the Sabarimala issue by making a law protecting the rituals and customs. The State Government could have also corrected its affidavit or made a law. Even while being an Opposition party, the UDF could present a bill in the State Assembly. However, the three major fronts who did not act at all then, have come up with new promises and claims now in view of the assembly election, the NSS alleged.

The NSS’s response was after Ramesh Chennithala’s promise and reiteration on Tuesday that ‘the draft bill on Sabarimala’ would be enacted by the Congress immediately after the UDF comes to power.

Meanwhile, refudiating media reports that a fresh affidavit would be filed on the women entry at Sabarimala, M A Baby, CPM Polit Bureau member said, such reports are false and baseless. Baby alleged that the Opposition is raking up Sabarimala women entry for want of other political issues to be raised. The Opposition is trying to change the election agenda by using Sabarimala as a poll plank, Baby said.

Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan and Minister K.T. Jaleel have challenged Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, who continues his Aishwarya Kerala Yathra criticising the State Government in issues including backdoor appointments, to contest in the upcoming Assembly elections. While Sreeramakrishnan challenged Chennithala to contest in Ponnani constituency, Minister K.T. Jaleel challenged him to contest from Thavanoor.

Arguments on Pala seat allocation for the Assembly poll continues to be a headache for the LDF.

As per available information NCP leader Mani C Kappan, MLA, is said to have discussed with the UDF leaders on breaking the long term alliance with the LDF if the Pala seat is refused to him.

Mani C Kappan might be declaring his final stand only after meeting NCP national president Sharad Pawar again. Amid the fervour of Assembly elections, the possibility of the by-election to the three vacant Rajyasabha seats being held soon grabs national attention to Kerala’s political scenario.

The demand that National Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad must be fielded in one of the vacant Rajyasabha seats is doing its rounds at the discussion level. However, the Congress High Command is to take a final decision.

In the other two seats, the CPM is likely to contest. Attempts are also there to allocate the Rajyasabha seat to the NCP as a reconciliation measure to pacify Mani C Kappan.