PATHANAMTHITTA : Refuting allegations of joining hands with the CPM to wrest power in Kottayam district panchayat, Kerala Congress (M) chairman K M Mani said the decision to seek the support of the CPM was taken at the local level without the knowledge of the party leadership.
Talking to mediapersons at Tiruvalla on Wednesday, K M Mani said the party chairman and vice-chairman were not involved in the decision-making process.
However, the decision will have the full backing of the party, Mani said. The DCC leadership had back-stabbed and humiliated the party.
The Kerala Congress party had not held any political parleys so far, he said. But the party leadership was hurt by the negative attitude of its long-time partner in the UDF, Mani said.
CPI downplays Kottayam tie-up
T’Puram: Amidst reports the CPI was wary over the CPM’s new found bonhomie for K M Mani, party state secretary Kanam Rajendran chose to downplay the development. He claimed the development was not of serious nature necessitating a discussion at the state level. “It is a local issue and our district secretary has already responded to it.
As of now, there is no scope for a discussion at the state forum,” he told Express. On whether this could be seen as the first step towards opening the doors of the LDF for the Kerala Congress, he said: “Entry to the LDF cannot be decided by an individual or a party.
It requires deliberations at different levels. There is not even a proposal in this regard,” he said. However, sources said the studied silence of the leaders does not mean the party views it as a local issue. “Informal discussions are on and the issue will be raised in the party forums and the LDF,” a senior leader said.
It was our El Classico: KC(M)
Kottayam: Elated over its win in the election for the Kottayam district panchayat president post, the KC(M) in a statement said it was a ‘strong message’ to those who considered it a weak party. It also said the party was following the decision taken at Charalkunnu last year, referring to the KC(M)’s separation from the UDF.
“It is a slap on the face of those who ill-treated and humiliated the party. We implemented what the Congress did in Moonnilav.
With their unity, KC(M) members in the district panchayat made us proud. It was our El Classico. Our decision to stand alone helped us in winning at Moonnilav and Mutholy,” said the statement. At Moonnilav, a panchayat in Kottayam, Congress had withdrawn its support to the KC(M).
In the byelection, the latter emerged victorious in a ward by defeating the Congress and the LDF. It also won a ward in Mutholy, another Kottayam panchayat, after parting ways with the Congress.
Support to KC(M) a warning to CPI: Kummanam
T’Puram: BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan said on Wednesday the CPM support to Kerala Congress(M) in the district panchayat election in Kottayam was a warning to the CPI. By supporting K M Mani, CPM was conveying if the CPI did not toe the line, its place would be out of the LDF fold.