Woes for Congress in Kerala: Partners say assembly poll results are ‘an eye opener’

KOCHI: It’s testing times for the Congress in Kerala with its election debacle in four states giving its partners in the United Democratic Front (UDF) government fresh ammunition to attack the party.

The Congress has been struggling for some time to hold the coalition together, with its own leaders and UDF partners criticising the government’s handling of issues such as the solar scam, a recent attack on the chief minister and the implementation of the Kasturirangan Committee’s recommendations.

Now, its partners are asking the Congress to correct its mistakes as the country prepares for general elections.

The assembly election results are “an eye opener” for everyone, said Kerala Congress (M) leader KM Mani, who is also the state’s finance minister. “It is important to take the people into confidence and correct the mistakes of the party,” he added.

ET Mohammed Basheer of the Indian Union Muslim League also asked the Congress to learn from its mistakes and take corrective steps. The party has been facing rising internal dissent as well with Kannur MP K Sudhakaran coming out openly against Home Minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan.

The home minister has been facing the ire of his partymen for the way the police handled the solar case. A delay in arresting those who attacked CM Oommen Chandy recently at Kannur was also cited by party workers to criticise the home ministry.