The efforts of the NCP (Sarad Pawar faction) Kerala unit to induct Thomas K Thomas in the Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet appear to have failed as the CPI-M state unit and Chief Minister Vijayan decided to retain A K Saseendran, the present NCP nominee in the LDF cabinet.
Photo: IANS
The efforts of the NCP (Sarad Pawar faction) Kerala unit to induct Thomas K Thomas in the Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet appear to have failed as the CPI-M state unit and Chief Minister Vijayan decided to retain A K Saseendran, the present NCP nominee in the LDF cabinet.
The CPI-M Kerala unit reportedly decided to retain Saseendran in the cabinet and the decision has been communicated to the party national coordinator Prakash Karat. Chief Minister Vijayan said the NCP won’t be given another ministerial berth if Saseendran is removed from the cabinet.
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Earlier, the NCP Kerala unit decided to withdraw its present nominee, A K Saseendran from the cabinet and appoint Thomas K Thomas in his place and communicated it to the chief minister and the LDF. However, the LDF and Chief Minister Vijayan were reluctant to induct Thomas in the cabinet. This prompted the NCP state leadership to seek the party’s national leadership.
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Following this, NCP (Sarad Pawar faction) President Sarad Pawar is said to have approached CPI-M national leader Prakash Karat to exert pressure on Chief Minister Vijayan to accommodate Thomas K Thomas in the cabinet. However, Pawar’s attempt seems to have failed as the CPI-M and CM Vijayan reportedly decided to retain AK Saseendran in the cabinet.
Meanwhile, the state NCP leadership has expressed its concern about the CPI-M’s deviation of its practice of allowing LDF constituent parties to decide its ministers.
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