Administration has come a standstill state: Cong

Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 28 (UNI) The Congress in Kerala today alleged that administration in the state had come to a standstill paralysing development work following differences between the chief minister and his Cabinet colleagues.

Addressing a press conference here, KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala said collective responsibility of the cabinet had been lost since chief minister V S Achuthanandan began to correct some of his ministers and ''they in turn, corrected him.'' He said the finance minister and the local administration minister had publicly corrected Mr Achuthanandan on the ADB loan issue when they stated that the chief minister was aware of the loan agreement.

However, Mr Achuthanandan took a stand that the agreement for availing loan for the Kerala Sustainable Urban Development Programme was signed without his knowledge, Mr Chennithala said and urged Mr Achuthanandan to come out with clear facts on the issue putting an end to the war of words.

He said CPI(M) state secretary Pinarayi Vijayan had also made it clear that the chief minister was aware of the ADB loan issue as it had been discussed twice in the party state secretariat.

Mr Chennithala sought an apology from the CPI(M) and other constituents of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF) for opposing ADB loans while they were in the Opposition.

He said differences between the leadership of the party and the government had also led to a stalemate in the administration paralysing development work. The state lost grants from the Centre for implementation of the Jawaharlal Nehru Urban Renewal Mission and employment guarantee programme as the government failed to submit detailed project reports on time.

He urged Mr Achuthanandan to make his stand clear on the SNC Lavalin issue.

Mr Chennithala said the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) would launch an agitation against the LDF government, details of which would be finalised at the UDF Liaison Committee meeting slated for January three.

UNI PMM ROY VD RK1900