‘All Cabinet decisions taken collectively’: Keralam CM Satheesan defends decision-making amid UDF convener’s critique

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM Refusing to wade into the controversy stirred by United Democratic Front (UDF) convener Adoor Prakash, MP, who on Tuesday alleged that there was a breakdown in collective responsibility of the Keralam Cabinet, Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan on Wednesday said he would choose not to comment on the issue. He accused the media of twisting Mr. Prakash’s comments. UDF convener Adoor Prakash echoes CPI(M) charge that Satheesan’s style of functioning jeopardises Cabinet’s collective responsibility storyline 1 “Mr.

Prakash never said that there was lack of collective responsibility in the Cabinet. All of the major leaders of the Congress are part of the Cabinet. All the decisions are taken collectively,” he said. CPI(M) accuses Satheesan of concentrating authority in a ‘shadowy power group’ centred around the CMO CPI(M) accuses Satheesan of concentrating authority in a ‘shadowy power group’ centred around the CMO Govindan alleges that Satheesan’s “autocratic style of functioning” had whittled down the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) government’s accountability to the legislature on policy and key decisions, including power purchase agreements with “profit-motivated and predatory” private sector entities.

CPI(M) accuses Satheesan of concentrating authority in a ‘shadowy power group’ centred around the CMO storyline 1 When asked about Mr. Prakash’s criticism on the lack of UDF meetings to deliberate on key policy decisions, Mr. Satheesan said “the media will be informed of the dates” when the UDF decides to convene a meeting. Mr. Prakash had said that the convening of UDF meetings was the sole prerogative of the UDF chairperson (Mr.

Satheesan). Mr. Satheesan also refused to comment on alleged organisational issues of the Congress party. “You have to ask the KPCC president about that,” he said. Early in October, Mr. Satheesan had taken a similar stand when Mr. Prakash indicated that the Chief Minister, in his capacity as UDF chairperson, had not taken the initiative to convene a meeting of the UDF. Mr. Prakash had said that, as UDF convener, he had become aware of several decisions taken by Mr.

Satheesan’s government “through the media.” Assembly session Mr. Satheesan said a session of the Legislative Assembly would be convened from November 30 to December 10, focussing mainly on clearing pending Bills that could not be taken up during the session held earlier this month.