Oommen Chandy completes two years in office

KOCHI: As the United Democratic Front government in Kerala completes two years in office, social tensions caused by the communally polarised politics in the state are turning out to be the main cause of worry for CM Oommen Chandy. The UDF Government's scorecard on the economic front is, however, satisfactory.

On the economic front, Chandy has been able to give a big push to many major infrastructure projects. Work is starting on the Kochi metro rail project and the Kochi SmartCity project in the next two months. The mono rail projects at Kozhikode and Thiruvananthapuram are being entrusted to DMRC. Work on Vizinjam container terminal project and the Kottappuram-Kollam national waterway are also gaining momentum, according to the government. However, communal feelings are on the rise with two influential caste groups accusing the government of giving in to every demand of the Muslim League.

The Nair Service Society and the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana (SNDP) Yogam, former rivals, have buried the hatchet to come together and oppose what they call the "policy of appeasement of the minority communities." Caught at the receiving end, both the chief minister and the state Congress unit chief Ramesh Chennithala have emphasised their secular credentials by stating that their first loyalty is to the Congress party.