When the crunch came on a day packed with high drama, the UDF camp found itself short of 4 MLAs at the time of voting on the Kerala Appropriation Bill.

But for the intervention of Speaker G Karthikeyan, the Oommen Chandy Government could have collapsed. An irate Opposition accused the Speaker of deliberately delaying the voting, to enable the members who were not inside the Assembly at that point of time to return. The half-hour delay enabled the ‘missing’ MLAs to be back.

The incident – a touch and go affair for the crisis-ridden government – has sent shivers down the UDF camp. It also reflects poorly on the floor management skill of the chief whip Mr P C George, who belongs to the Kerala Congress (Mani) group.

Protesting against the partisan behavior of the Speaker, the Opposition boycotted the assembly and petitioned the Governor against the Speaker. It also asked him not to give assent to the Appropriation Bill..

Incidentally, all the missing MLAs belong to the Congress. Two of them were out of the Kerala Capital with the permission of the party. The other two were ‘missing’ for sometime, triggering panic attempts to trace them.

Rattled by the rude jolt, the Congress has instructed all its MLAs to be in the Assembly when serious debates are on and voting is due.

Congress ally, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) also voiced its unhappiness over the incident, which exposed the UDF’s vulnerability.

The episode also vindicates Opposition leader V S Achuthanandan’s ‘claim’ that this government would collapse if four of its members were to answer the call of nature at any given time!

Meanwhile, the allies continue to be resentful of the high and mighty attitude of the Congress, especially that of the party high command. KC(M) leader K M Mani made no secret of his displeasure when his son was denied a berth in the Manmohan Singh Ministry. The inclusion of his son, Jose K Mani would have added to the cohesion of the UDF, Mani said.

The second biggest partner of the UDF, IUML is also unhappy at the denial of a fifth ministerial berth for the party in the Kerala Ministry. The party is also sore that its minister in the UPA Government at the centre, Minister of State for external affairs, Mr E Ahmed, was not given independent charge as was widely expected at the time of Cabinet reshuffle. Both KC(M) and IUML feel that their demands have not been conceded because of the tough attitude of the Congress high command. (IPA Service)