Thiruvananthapuram: With the Communist Party of India (CPI) expressing displeasure over the Lokayukta ordinance it has become evident that the bilateral talks it held with its Left Democratic Front partner CPM over the issue failed to achieve its desired end.
CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan reportedly told his CPI counterpart Kanam Rajendran at the meeting, which was held during the peak of the controversy in the beginning of February, that only Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan would be able to reply to the CPI's demand for doing away with the ordinance.
It was in the backdrop of these discussions that Kanam lashed out at the ordinance after the chief minister managed to cajole Governor Arif Mohammed Khan and make him give the nod on Monday.
Only Kodiyeri and Kanam attended the conciliatory meeting held at the AKG Centre last week.
Kanam conveyed to Kodiyeri his party's displeasure over changing the contents of the present Lokayukta Act. Kodiyeri on his part put forward the defence of the government and CPM on the issue.
Kodiyeri did not give any assurance to Kanam on any kind of going back on the ordinance which was approved by the Cabinet.
The discussions ended inconclusively with the agreement that both sides would continue parleys after the arrival of chief minister from abroad.
This was the reason why Kanam denied on Monday the reports by the news channels that CPM and the CPI reached a consensus on the issue.
If the governor had returned the ordinance, the state government would have been forced to send it back for approval again, making it mandatory for the governor to sign it.
But the CPI ministers would have objected to it at the Cabinet meeting, leading to an explosive situation in the LDF. Pinarayi Vijayan's success in persuading the governor to sign the ordinance averted such a situation.
Another factor that promoted the chief minister to meet the governor at Raj Bhavan and to win him over was that the next Cabinet meeting has to decide on the date of commencement of the budget session of the state Assembly.
More worries in store for govt
But the problems are far from over for the government over the Lokayukta ordinace.
The ordinance has to be made into a law within 42 days after the first day of the commencement of the next Assembly session. Suppose if the Assembly session begins on February 18, the ordinance will have to be replaced with a suitable law by March 31. Otherwise, the Cabinet in the meantime has to send a recommendation to re-promulgate the ordinance to the Governor. But at that time, the CPI ministers might opposing the move in the Cabinet meeting.
UDF alleges foul play
The Opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) has now come up against the governor too. It alleged that the governor became soft on the issue after the government agreed to ensure the appointment of a BJP state committee member as a staff at the Raj Bhavan. Such an allegation by the UDF forced the state BJP unit to take a stand against the governor on the Lokayukata issue.
Govindan defends govt
Meanwhile, Local Body Minister MV Govindan said that the governor had signed the ordinance after he got convinced of its merit. The chief minister personally went to Raj Bhavan and cleared the doubts of the governor.
To a question on the dissent expressed by Kanam Rajendran, Govindan refused to comment.
