In the process, it has equalled Tamil Nadu’s record of representation in the Union Cabinet. Now, only Andhra Pradesh has more ministers in the Union Cabinet – 11 against the Kerala tally of eight.

But the sense of joy needs to be tempered by the realization that the long-standing neglect of Kerala by successive governments at the Centre will not become a thing of the past with a mere upgrade in the number of Kerala ministers in the central Cabinet.

For that to happen, the state will have to make a determined effort to make its voice heard at the Centre – the state’s record in this regard has been one of dismal failure hitherto. In other words, the ball is now in the court of the Kerala contingent in the Union Cabinet. The task is well and truly cut out for them. The success or otherwise of the exercise will depend, to a great extent, on the amount of pressure they can bring to bear on the Centre.

The dominant theme of Congress leaders, including Defence Minister A K Antony, during the campaign for the Kerala Assembly elections has been the need for Congress-led governments at the Centre as well as in the state. Such an arrangement was of paramount importance to ensure better coordination and smooth Centre-State relations. That was the refrain of the state Congress leaders.

Well, a Congress-led coalition government is at the helm in the state now. Has that made any tangible difference to the situation on the ground? The answer to that question is a resounding No. The stark reality is that Kerala continues to be at the receiving end of the Centre’s policy of benign neglect.

The Centre’s persistently indifferent attitude to three of Kerala’s most important demands illustrates the point. First and foremost is the demand for an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) for the State. It has been pending since the days of Arjun Singh, the then Human Resources Development minister who was the first to make the promise. The HRD ministry has since witnessed ministerial changes. But the promise has remained unfulfilled. The Prime Minister himself fuelled Kerala’s yearning for an IIT with occasional announcements, the latest being the one he made while inaugurating the “Emerging Kerala” investors meet held in Kochi recently.

It will now be up the new minister of state in the HRD Ministry, Shashi Tharoor, to use his influence at the Centre and make the Union Government concede the long-standing demand of the state – a task easier said than done.

Another long-standing demand of the state, which is languishing for want of quick follow-up, is the rail coach factory at Kanjikkode in Palakkad district. The foundation stone of the project, laid eight months ago amid much fanfare by the then Railway Minister Dinesh Trivedi, is now gathering moss. The central ministers from the state will have to pile on utmost pressure for the project to gather steam.

The latest instance of the Centre’s insensitivity to the state’s interests relates to the Kochi metro project. The public perception, not without foundation, is that a conspiracy hatched by the politicians and bureaucrats both at the state and central level is on to scuttle the dream project. Union Urban Development Minister Kamal Nath’s statement that the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation(DMRC) will find it hard to take up the work on Kochi metro – as desired by the people of Kerala - in view of its heavy workload, has lent further credence to the conspiracy theory.

Air India’s callous attitude to the travel travails of Gulf Malayalees completes the unremitting tale of Central neglect of the God’s Own Country. Abrupt cancellation of flights at the last minute, astronomical hikes in air fares during the peak seasons have been the lot of Kerala-bound Malayalees in the Gulf over the last few years. The Union Civil Aviation Minister whose job it is to solve the Gulf Malayalees problems, adds fuel to the fire by having Air India flights on the Gulf-Kerala route diverted to Uttar Pradesh, to meet the needs of Haj pilgrims from his home state! It will be a Herculean task for the new minister of state for civil aviation hailing from Kerala, K C Venugopal to change the entrenched anti-Kerala mindset of the aviation ministry and set things right.

The long and short of it all is this: the odds are heavy and the fight is long and hard. Here is wishing the eight-member Kerala contingent in the Union Cabinet all strength to its elbow in their formidable task ahead. (IPA Service)