Oommen Chandy Government Removes Ally From Key Post in Kerala

Ending more than a week- long suspense, dissident Kerala Congress (M) Vice-Chairman P C George was on Tuesday removed from the post of government Chief Whip by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy who accepted the ruling UDF partner's demand after parleys to avert the action failed.

The decision to accept the demand of KC(M), led by Finance Minister K M Mani, was announced by Mr Chandy after holding discussions with his senior cabinet colleagues P K Kunhalikutty and Ramesh Chennithala and Mr George in Thiruvanthapuram on Tuesday night.

Mr George has been barred from attending the UDF liaison committee meeting as the representative of KC-M, which is the third largest partner of the ruling front with nine MLAs.

Mr George later said he would remain with UDF.

With KC-M supremo Mani, against whom Mr George had been making embarrassing public statements, sticking to his demand, UDF leaders had no other option but to remove him from the Chief Whip post.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, Mr Chandy said they failed to reach a meeting point and accepting the KC-M demand was the natural course to be followed as per 'coalition principles'.

Asked whether Mr George would continue to be part of UDF, Mr Chandy said he had not been expelled from KC-M and it was for him to decide whether to continue in UDF.

Emerging from talks, Mr George said he would accept the decision of UDF leaders and would continue to be part of the ruling coalition.

However, he strongly criticised Mr Mani with whom he had fallen apart beyond reconciliation.

Mr Mani stuck to his demand for Mr George's removal from the chief whip post while Mr George wanted KC-M to oust him so that he could revive his faction Kerala Congress (Secular) and continue to be a part of UDF as a separate partner, without attracting the anti-defection law.

But Mr Mani was not in favour of keeping Mr George in the Front as a separate party and wanted him to continue in the party by accepting a 'small punishment.' KC-M was irked with Mr George after he made several public remarks against Mr Mani after he presented the budget on March 13 in the assembly amidst protest by LDF opposition.

Eight KC(M) legislators headed by Mr Mani sought the removal of Mr George from the chief whip post and demanded that he be barred from attending the liaison committee meeting of UDF.

The Vigilance and Anti-Corruption Bureau had recently registered a case against Mr Mani in connection with the charge that he had accepted bribe from bar owners to renew liquor licences.

Mr George had stated that Mr Mani should have resigned when the controversy erupted last November.