UDF partners miffed over front's functioning

A day after senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan hit out at Congress and UDF leadership in Kerala, alleging that it had failed to function as an effective opposition, three front partners - IUML, RSP and Kerala Congress (Jacob) echoed similar sentiments today.
In an embarrassment to Congress, Muraleedharan, MLA, former KPCC President and son of party veteran late K Karunakaran said in Kozhikode yesterday that there is no opposition in the state.
"Congress and UDF have failed miserably to capitalise on the lapses of the LDF government and the government is now mocking at the UDF," he had said.
"Congress leadership is unable to react appropriately on important issues. The leaders are only interested in increasing their personal mileage by showing their faces on television channels," he had said at a function to mark his father's death anniversary.

E T Muhammed Basheer, secretary of IUML, the second largest party in UDF, said the opposition has been unable to highlight the government's 'failures'.
"The UDF has certain issues which need to be addressed by the allies. It is time to organise agitations against the government," he said.

While RSP state secretary A A Aziz said UDF should think of organising more protests against LDF, Kerala Congress (Jacob) leader Johnny Nellore said UDF needs to work with more vigour.
Though KPCC President V M Sudheeran maintained a studied silence, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said he welcomed all criticism.
Putting up a brave face, he said there are no differences of opinion in UDF and all front partners are united.

He said heviewed 'positively' the criticism against the Congress by Muraleedharan.
"I welcome and respect Murali's criticisms. He is a close friend, a former KPCC President and a senior leader. What he said is that UDF should be strengthened and opposition should launch more agitations against the state government's 'anti people policies," Chennithala told reporters here.
He said UDF would meet on January 3 to discuss and chalk out various agitational programmes of the front.
Chennithala said people are facing lot of hardships due to the Centre's demontisation exercise and the 'anti people' policies of the state government.
He denied reports of KPCC President V M Sudheeran, former ChiefMinister Oommen Chandy and himself moving in different directions. "There are small differences," he said, adding the functioning of UDF was different from that of LDF.

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Meanwhile, Muraleedharan locked horns with Congress
spokesperson Rajmohan Unnithan over his views.
He said if the party has anything to say, the KPCC President would take a call and he has the freedom to do so.
"There is no need for helpers to talk when the family head is there', he said today.
Reacting to the barb, Unnithan said Murali's words were 'humiliating the party's self respect'.
Unnithaan later announced that he had resigned as the spokesperson and had already submtted a letter in this regard to the KPCC President.