archive: Catholic demand more LS seats
Catholic demand more LS seats
Kay Benedict
The Telegraph
July 20, 1999
Title: Catholic demand more LS seats
Author: Kay Benedict
Publication: The Telegraph
Date: July 20, 1999
Kerala Catholics' demand for greater representation in the
Congress-led United Democratic Front has come as a blessing in
disguise for the BJP struggling hard to gain a foothold in the state.
But the Congress and the Left are worried over the political fallout
of the demand.
The demand, the first of its kind in the church history, was made at a
Catholic bishops' conference at Kottayam attended by a few Congress
leaders from central Travancore on Saturday.
The bishops are thoroughly disappointed with the Congress for using
the Catholics as vote-bank "but not giving adequate representation to
them".
They felt, In the "changed times", it was time to seek their pound of
flesh. Expressing their dismay the church leaders said when it came
to the Catholics' interests there was no difference between the UDF
and the Left Democratic Front.
The bishops' demand will spur other communities to vote against
Catholic candidates which will harm the interests of the Congress.
It is feared that even Christians belonging to other denominations may
not take kindly to the demand and the BJP may try to exploit the
situation.
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