Chandy hails CPI stand on various administrative issues

Senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy today hailed the CPI's stand on various administrative issues and criticised those of the CPI(M), specially on the issue of removal of encroachments on government land.
Lauding CPI's stand on various administrative issues, the Chandy said the key partner in the ruling LDF was speaking the language of the people of Kerala.
The former chief minister criticised the CPI(M) stand on the issue of removal of encroachments from the government land, saying it was not as per the wishes of the people.
"The stand taken by the CPI on the issue of clearing encroachments from the government land has been accepted by the people," Chandy told reporters in Kottayam.

"But the CPI(M) stand on the matter is just contrary to that of the CPI," he said.
Asked if the Congress planned to invite CPI into the fold of the party-led UDF in the state, the former chief minister said, people still cherish the era of the party's alliance with CPI in Kerala in the 70s.

"Congress, CPI, Kerala Congress and Muslim League all used to work together in Kerala ... People have not forgotten that era," Chandy said.
The CPI had ruled the state in the 70s with the support of the Congress.
Chandy's statement assumes significance in the wake of widening differences between the CPI(M) and CPI over various administrative affairs, including on the Revenue Department's drive against encroachers of the government land at the ecologically sensitive Munnar hills in Idukki district.

The CPI(M) had expressed displeasure over the CPI- controlled Revenue Department's anti-encroachment drive at Munnar in April last, during which a 30-feet tall metal cross was pulled down.
The differences came to fore recently when CPI abstained from a meeting convened by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in Thiruvananthapuram to discuss the Munnar issue.