Kerala UDF swings towards accepting House vote demand

After resisting attempts by Antony-baiters to convene the state Assembly for a trial of strength, the United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala yesterday gave signs of getting ready to accept the inevitable.

UDF Convenor Oommen Chandy said here yesterday that there was "strong opinion among coalition partners" that it may be good to go for a trial of strength in the state assembly.

Explaining the latest position in the camp supporting Chief Minister A.K. Antony, Chandy said the thinking among the coalition partners was that there was nothing the UDF had to fear in a trial of strength.

"The UDF has a clear majority in the Assembly. In that case, why not allow a confidence vote in the Assembly and put an end to all the speculation about the stability of the government?" Chandy said.

He, however did not give a time-frame within which the UDF would opt for convening the Assembly to prove the government's majority.

To a question on what he had to say about Antony's key opponent K. Karuna-karan's challenge to the state government to convene an Assembly session, he said: "Wait and see".

However, Kerala Congress (B) leader and Transport Minister R. Balakrishna Pillai said there was no discussion about convening the Assembly.

The chief minister's opponents meanwhile are going ahead with their plan for a massive rally on November 19 Indira Gandhi's birthday, to press their demand for a change of leadership in Kerala.
Health Minister P. Sankaran said yesterday that there was no change in the 'I' group demand for a change of leadership.

Asked to comment about the chief minister's argument that the Communist Partry of India-Marxist was responsible for a breakdown in governance, Sankaran replied, "That is the chief minister's opinion. I have no comment on that".

Political circles in Thiruvananthapuram are abuzz with rumours that the chief minister may be planning to turn the tables on his opponents by making a surprise decision to convene the Assembly and prove his majority. That, however, is unlikely to happen before the by-election in Thiruvalla on December 1.