Structure of govt is important in political analysis
Structure of govt is almost similar to all Indian states except for a legislative council in some states
Institution of govt structure orks differently in different states even though all of them are placed under same constitutional mandate
The institution of governor has been some what controversial in some states which created even to rupture centre –state relations
Almost all state govt has problem in administration
The nature of society and pattern of politics account for this variation
The Governor
Constitutional head of state
Appointed for five years,hold office during the pleasure of President
A senior politician is chosen as governor
He appoints CM and council of ministers
He has formal executive,legislative and judicial powers
He has discretionary powers
His discretionary power is in the choice of CM,dismissal of ministry,and dissolution of legislative assembly
C Achutha Menon was invited to form govt even though contracting parties have contested election prior to agreement 1970
Council of Ministry
C M is the leader of Council of Ministers
C of M is collectively responsible to assembly and ministers individually responsible to Governor
CM occupies a key position in the politics of the state
Judiciary
HC is the apex body in judicial pyramid
HC derives its powers from constitution
President appoints all judges in consultation with CJI under A/222
Below HC there is civil and criminal court
District court and district judge are placed immediately under HC
Below district court is subordinate judges court presided over by sub-judges
Munsif court is the lowest rung of judicial ladder
Conclusion
The fabric of union state relations affect the organization of state govt.
Policies of centre govt is to create vibrations in state politics of kerala
The Party Sytsem in Kerala
Party system places preeminent place in state and politics of Kerala
Parties attract more attention
Political parties reach evry where of kerala society
Kerala is very much a political society
Political parties find it hard to attribute an ideological basis to the voter behavior
Character of parties in kerala has been largely decided by the socio-economic structure exist in kerala
There is no one part dominance in kerala
Ideology took deeper root in Malabar area
No political part has uniform support basis in kerala
Twin front party politics dominates kerala politics
Fragmentation and party factionalism
(a)The congress underwent metamorphic changes since independence in kerala
In Travancore and cochin congress undergone communal pressure
Dominance of Christian communities in congress resulted in mass exodus of hundus and forming of hindu mandalam
(b)The praja socialist party grew in strength under pattom a thau pillai
Communalism,groupism and personal rivalry flourished in congress during cpi rule of 1957-59,and even after liberation struggle,which give birth to kerala congress
The all india split in congres brought a split in congress in kerala too,so two kerala Pradesh congress committee came into being
1.congress ruling
2.congress organization
Factionalism in political party
The congress ruling built up cadre with cpi in 1970s and o congress meged into janata party when it was formed in 1977when indira Gandhi formed congress I ,it also become a force in kerala too,split 1969
Factionalism prevailed in congress
The congress paralysed by factionalism
Congress O,R,I etc
(c)Cpi was a well disciplined cadre party in 1950s split in 1964,
(d)The muslim league also decided the destiny of kerala politics along with congress,cpi,cpi (m).
ML was represented in ministry during 1967-87
(e)Kerala congress was formed in 1964 under christiam and nair votes
The party drew its support from p t chacko,but factionalism reduced not strength of party,factionalism created two kerala congress,
Factionalism also prevailed in communist,but did not surface frequent,but it had to appease regional and communal pressures,it ahd a split in 1964,the main factors dividing party has been community,caste,and personal loyalty
Factionalism also infected league,league leaders remained in two camps
Electoral Politics
Electoral process is instrumental in transmitting power periodically
Vital problem in politics is source of power and understanding the manner in which it is exercised
Elections is inevitable part of such political life
Political parties participate in electoral process
Regional,class,communal,religious sentiments give strength to parties
Electoral process in kerala has deep root even prior to the formation of state
State congress in Travancore and praja mandal in cochin swept polls in early elections
After unification of Travancore and cochin congress began to fare badly in elections due to infightings,departure from congress principles,factionalism,communal intrigues etc
An electoral scene different from prior has beebn created in post 1957 period
The 1967 election made real coalition in kerala
An anti congress front of seven parties called sapta munnai formed by CPi(M)
Coalition Experiments in Kerala
Two political coalition have emerged in kerala called twin front political coalition
But coalition in kerala is negative in sense that they form coalition because to avoid some parties from sharing power
Categorization of coalition in kerala as left or right is meaningless as political parties joing one bloc is shortlived
Irony is that same political parties in kerala and nationally follow two different ideologies
In kerala,there is no entrenched traditional land owning class which can defend itself against such other interest groups,neither nationalism nor religious loyalty is strong enough to wipe out group rivalry.there is no charismatic personality also who can appeal to all people in all the regions and communities.therfore coalition became the cath all word for party politics in kerala.
The imperfect coalition of 1960 has been shaped by liberation struggle,which had neither a common programme nor pre-election alliance
the mini front formed in 1969 was meant to avoid extremism in kerala,
most coalition in kerala has been dictated by practical politics
defection and factionalism haunted kerala coalitionsfaction caused break up of 1960 coalition
coalition caused decline of of the role of C M in kerala politics
it also caused decline of collective responsibility
it increased power of bureaucrats and corruption
Associationalism in Kerala
By Indian standards ,kerala has a vibrant trade union movements,in 1961-2 india has trade union membership of 2 percent of its workforce whereas kerala had 5 percent same period
Unions in kerala are comparatively militant,
Associationalism in kerala are varied and numerous
Features
Working class sruggle in kerala has been one of outstanding
Workers are well organized
More inclined to threaten to strike work on least provocation
High militancy
Active centres of conflict are cashew,coir,plantaions,textiles,knitting,bricks and tiles industries
Most leadership are non workers
Trade union movement
Trade unionism in kerala has obscure beginnings
Travancore labour association formed in coir industry in 1920
,it was renamed as Travancore coir factory workers union 1937
The cashew factory workers union dominated trade union scene in quilon
In cochin the toddy tappers union of anthikkad 1936 was earliest trade union movement in cochin area
INTUC
Local labour cells of congress
Adopted gandhian trade union techniques but it has outlived congress split
Later compromised gandhian techniques to compete with CITU
CITU,1970
Noted fro militancyunder cpm
It has become the police force of cpm in kerala
AITUc-CPI
Hindu mazdoor sangh and socialist centre have no importance in state
Peasant movement
Organized peasant struggle in kerala began with formation of Malabar kudiyan sangham 1920,
By the moplah rebellion 1926, peasant struggle become active
Kerala karshaka sangham was formed in 1933 to safeguard interests of peasants
Malabar karshaka sangham was formed in 1937
Mobilization of peasants led to clashes with police and led to banning karshaka sangham
Since ban on karshaka sangham,all Kerala kisan sangham formed in 1942
Peasant activities began to be violent in Malabar area in 1946
Intermittent agrarian uprisings beagn to erupt in cochin and Travancore
The agrarian uprisings in Travancore was due to two factors-formation of caste association among cultivators and rise of industrial proletariat ,and agrarian uprisings was mainly because of rising class consciousness among lower caste
After independence CPI mobilized peasantry to overthrow if possible the new government
The agrarian movements had political overtones in post independence which led to conflict beween CPi led and congress led agrarian groups in kerala
The most important agrarian organizations was
-kerala state karshaka thozhilali union -CPI
-upper kuttanad karshaka sangham -Congress
-after split, CPI formed kerala state karshaka thozhilali federation
Communist movement
It came late to kerala
Communist pary of india dates back to 1920s
But Marxism attractedlttle in kerala up to 1930s
The first proto Marxist organization was tiny Trivandrum based Communist League 1931
In 1939 a state unit of party was secretly established
The socio economic situation prevailed in kerala necessitated growth of communism
By 1939 communist cells existed in Calicut,ernakulam,Trivandrum and party was in many part of Malabar coextensive with local congress organization
Part led peasant struggles
In south india party operated via congress socialist party
Immediately after wardha session of AICC,90 malayali CSp members met secretely at a village in tellichery in 13 october 1939 to form CSP in to CPi
On 26 januari 1940 part formally announced
Punnapra vayalar
Lecture notes prepared by Biju P R,Assistant Professor in Political Science,Govt Brennen College ,Thalassery
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