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The people of Kerala has to go through an election this year. Over the years, the politically conscious state had been the test case and the battelground of many 'firsts' in India starting from the Communist Rule to the Coalition Governments. Õß×á _ çµÞYd·TíåØíxÏßW [Courtesy Unnikrishnan, Mathrubhumi Calicut] This time we may also score another first - electing a fourth class government after being ruled by one of the worst ministries we have ever seen. By this time changes were happening in the political scene throughout India. Nehru was no longer alive (died in 1964). Shastri too was dead in 1966. Indira Gandhi entered the scene in 1966. The generation who fought in the independence struggle was slowly falling behind. Congress monopoly was questioned in many states. North India was to witness the ugliest 'Aya ram and Gaya ram' politics. The coalition governments formed by these parties and leaders were far worse than that of Congress. They all fought and stole whatever they can. After the fall of E.M.S Ministry in 1969, Indira Gandhi dispatched the Raj Sabha member of CPI, C. Achutha Menon to Kerala to head a 'mini front' supported by Congress and Kerala Congress from outside. Though wafer thin majority this ministry survived. Soon Achutha Menon called for an election. Again the 'mini front' won against the CPM led front, though the majority was small. Achutha Menon became the Chief Minister again. The state saw some stability. Soon Congress too joined the ministry. Congress especially Youth Congress leaders were not corrupt ( at least compared to today's extravaganza). Soon this changed. A taste of power changed the situation. Youth Congress leaders, most of whom came through Kerala Students Union, forgot the roots. Bribes and nepotism became the norm. Ideals were thrown into waste paper basket. To be continued... |
The state was formally formed in 1956 and the first
elected government was the Communist (first ever elected
one in the world) Ministry headed by late E.M.S
Namboothiripad. EMS Minstry was dismissed in 1959. In
1960 the first coalition of Congress, PSP and Muslim
League formed the ministry under Pattom Thanu Pillai of
PSP. Pattom was promoted as the Governor and R Shankar
took charge. But Shankar Ministry though laid the
foundation for many far reaching changes in the
educational and industrial sectors of Kerala, was pulled
down by the reactionary forces within the Congress itself.
Kerala Congress was formed mainly based on the Christian
strongholds in Travancore area, supported by communal
forces headed by Pillai & Co. The state was under
Presidents Rule by now. The next election was in 1965
when Congress stood alone. Though Congress managed about
39 seats and Kerala Congress 24, no one had majority. No
ministry was formed. Today's any-party coalition
philosophy was still not there. After long years of
President's direct rule, E.M.S Namboothiripad again
formed a 7 party coalition with a majority of 117 seats
in the Assembly. Congress managed only 9 and Kerala
Congress just 5. E.M.S ministry of 67 was not very
different from that of 57. In many ways it was worse. All
the single man parties and ministers had no
accountability at all. Parties fought each other and soon
the ministry collapsed in 1969.