Three days of palavers later, news from New Delhi is grim; the talks have only accentuated the Congress faultlines. As a popular saying in Kerala goes, ‘vanchi ippozhum Thirunakkara thanne’ (the boat is still moored in the Thirunakkara river, meaning there is absolutely no progress in the situation).

The talks have run into a deadlock because both the groups – the A group led by Chief Minister Oommen Chany and the Vishala I group headed by KPCC chief Ramesh Chennithala have refused to relent from their entrenched positions. Chennithala is resisting with all the force at his command the A group suggestion that he join the state cabinet.

While the A group believes that Ramesh’s induction into the cabinet would solve all the problems, the I group thinks otherwise. Their contention is that it is not the right time for Chennithala to join the government, whose image has been severely dented by the solar scam.

Ramesh sees the A group formula as a treacherous trap that would make his position extremely vulnerable. Having sensed the ‘danger’, he is in no mood to play ball with the rival group. The ‘danger’ is that, once he joins the cabinet, Chennithala will also have to share the taint caused by the solar scam – a proposition that his supporters do not relish at all.

The group is also of the firm view that a mere reconstitution of the state cabinet alone cannot undo the enormous damage inflicted by the solar scam on the government. The group – and Ramesh is credited with the same view – thinks that only a ‘total revamp’, of the cabinet can refurbish the Government’s tattered image. True, they have not said it in so many words. But what has been hinted at is nothing but a change of guard.

The two key allies of the Congress in the United Democratic Front (UDF) Government, the Indian Union Muslim League(IUML) and the Kerala Congress(Mani), also share the I group’s view that cabinet rejig alone won’t do. And both the IUML and the KC(M), which have been invited for talks by the Congress high command, will convey their view to the latter in clear terms. Both are also opposed to the suggestion that Ramesh be made the deputy chief minister, to solve the crisis.

This being the present scenario, unless there is a change in the stand of the IUML and the KC(M), Chandy’s position will, in all likelihood, become more vulnerable. That explains the slump in the A group leaders’ shoulders. (IPA)