Janata Dal (S) faces stress test in Kerala

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Janata Dal (S) in Kerala is turning the troubled asset of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), with the party���s internal strife leading to a self-imposed stress test of the political variety.

The party���s troubles that began when the CPM denied it the Kozhikode seat for the Lok Sabha poll, has worsened since then, with the party struggling to save itself from a split.

Matters reached a new low today when party MLA Jose Thettayil remarked that there was ���no political reason��� to not accept a cabinet position in the V S Achuthanandan ministry. JD(S) minister Mathew T Thomas had quit following the differences of opinion between the CPM and JD(S) over the Kozhikode Lok Sabha seat and since then opinion has been divided in the JD(S) regarding the party rejoining the cabinet.

JD(S) state president M P Veerendrakumar, who is the sitting MP in Kozhikode, and CPM state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan are seen to be in direct confrontation, but to the former���s detriment, he does not have the overt backing of two of the party���s five MLAs, namely former minister Mathew T Thomas, and Jose Thettayil.

At another level, the problems within the JD(S) have led to a revival of tensions within the CPM. Chief minister V S Achuthanandan remarked that the CPM state secretary was not the one to decide the JD (S) nominee in the cabinet, in an obvious reference to Pinarayi Vijayan���s statement that JD (S) would soon be represented in the cabinet with another JD(S) leader replacing former minister Mr Thomas. The chief minister said it was up to the JD(S) and the LDF to decide on the new JD(S) nominee in the ministry.
Mr Thomas and Mr Thettayil are considered to have worked for the benefit of the LDF during the polls, defying their party leadership���s call to take revenge on the CPM for humiliating it on the Kozhikode seat issue.