After more than half the ministers were found missing from a state cabinet meeting last week, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has asked his colleagues to stop roaming around the state and stay put in the capital at least five days a week.
This 'disciplinary action' happened after a special cabinet meeting got cancelled last Friday because of the non-availability of ministers. At least one-third (seven) of the total number of ministers are required to fill the quorum. The strength of the present state cabinet, including the CM, is 19.
In last week's meeting, apart from the CM, only four CPI(M) ministers and JD(S) representative Mathew T. Thomas were present to attend the meeting. None of the CPI ministers were present as all were busy with the CPI state party meetings.
The cancellation of the cabinet meeting was widely criticised in various media channels and several rumours and reasons were also attributed to it, one being that CPI deliberately ignored the meeting. The rumours gained currency as the party has been repeatedly locking horns with big brother CPI(M) for quite some time.
CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran, however, tried to downplay the rumours, saying that the absences were not deliberate. “Also, there have been several occasions like this before. There is no need to sensationalise it,'' he had said.
Vijayan, perceived to be a strict disciplinarian, is learnt to have given a proverbial piece of his mind to all the absentees.
“The CM was very upset with the absentees and he has made it clear to all the ministers, including the ones in his own party, that similar incidents should not be repeated. He also told them that unnecessary excuses should also not be made,” a source in the chief minister's office told THE WEEK.
The opposition had criticised the government on the matter. “It is a shame for the state that the cabinet does not meet because there is no quorum,” opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala said. Chennithala said this was an unheard-of situation and the absence of as many as 13 of the 19 ministers meant that the validity of certain ordinances could not be extended by the Cabinet.
A minister in the cabinet, however, told THE WEEK that a decision on ensuring attendance of ministers at meetings was taken at the very first meeting of the LDF government.
“It was decided that ministers have to be in the capital for at least five days a week. But due to various reasons, it was not followed,'' he said.
But now that the 'headmaster' has made it strict, every one will fall in line, the minister added.
