Achuthanandan's first year had its highs - and lows
May 17, 2007 - 10:47:06 AM
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Likewise, the news last week of 30 newborns dying at the state-run Sree Avitam Thirunal hospital here due to infections in the labour room has also attracted flak.
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By Sanu George, IANS,
[RxPG] Thiruvananthapuram, May 17 - Given the euphoria that accompanied veteran communist hardliner V.S. Achuthanandan as he led the Left Democratic Front to victory in the 2006 assembly polls, much was expected.
But his first year in office, despite some drawbacks, still has some issues to take pride in - namely clinching of the Rs.15 billion-Smart City project and demolition of illegal resorts in the Munnar hill station.
The single biggest achievement of Achuthanandan, who was sworn in May 18 last year, is the clinching of the Smart City project at Kochi to be built by Dubai Internet City -.
Though he had fiercely opposed the terms of the project agreed by the then chief minister Oommen Chandy in 2005, after coming to power Achuthanandan held on to his demands and finally made DIC agree to sign on the dotted line and on the terms which he maintains are far more beneficial to Kerala than those agreed to by Chandy.
Another success that the veteran can certainly look back with pride to is the bold step he has undertaken to evict the illegal land mafia from government land in the picturesque hill station in Munnar in Idukki district.
A three-member official team is supervising the demolition of illegal tourist resorts and, if he has his way, more than 200 resorts would be razed in the coming months.
But his one year has also seen some adverse court verdicts - the lifting of the ban on the sale of soft drink products and on the setting aside of key provisions in the Kerala Professional Colleges - Act.
Despite his successes, one reason why Achuthanandan appears to have failed to deliver as expected was the serious difference he has with arch rival, Pinnarayi Vijayan, state secretary of the Communist Party of India-Marxist.
Even though Achuthanandan heads the government, the power lies with the party secretary in the CPI-M, unlike in other political parties.
Trouble between the two arose ever since Achuthanandan was given the nod to contest the 2006 assembly elections, after first being denied a seat to contest. He led the Left to a convincing victory by winning 99 of the 140 seats.
Since then, the relationship between the two has gone from bad to worse and troubles surfaced even while Achuthanandan was distributing the portfolios.
It was only after intervention from the politburo that Achuthanandan had to return the vigilance department to Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, Man Friday of Vijayan, who holds the prized Home portfolio.
Achuthanandan's performance as a hardworking leader of opposition - also came under scrutiny in the last 12 months of his governance. Despite the promises he made during the election campaign, he failed to live up to some of them.
One of them relates to the Kaviyoor-Kiliroor sex cases - of minor girls being sexually abused. He had promised he would get to the bottom of the matter, but has failed to do so. He was also a staunch critic of taking loans from the Asian Development Bank when Leader of Opposition, but after taking the chair he meekly surrendered and availed loans from the body.
One drawback he has been faced with is a largely inexperienced cabinet.
All but two of the 19 ministers, including Achuthanandan, became minister for the first time.
Despite the tag of heading a Leftist government with an ideology that does not favour the business community, Achuthanandan's performance in the tourism sector has been applauded.
'There was lot of apprehension when the government took over, because over the years the Left's attitude towards business interests has not been rosy. But we are certainly elated at the manner in which the government has supported the tourism industry,' said businessman Tomy Pullikattil, who owns a dozen houseboats in Alappuzha.
His handling of the health sector has invited a lot of criticism, especially the manner in which the large-scale mosquito-borne chikunguniya infections were handled last year.
Likewise, the news last week of 30 newborns dying at the state-run Sree Avitam Thirunal hospital here due to infections in the labour room has also attracted flak.
The party meetings, where he has to battle his rivals led by Vijayan, are also a headache for Achuthanandan. He would be able to breathe easy only after the next party conference, held once in three years, gets over early next year.
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