THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In the wake of the KM Mani fiasco, fissures in the Congress could end up weakening the UDF. In the process, the BJP — which has been struggling to make inroads in the state — may well reap the benefit.
Though it remains a silent spectator, the LDF is weighing possibilities and gearing up to turn the probable exodus of Congress cadre in its favour. If the Congress continues to play the minority appeasement card even at the cost of losing its cadre, a Hindu vote consolidation in favour of the BJP won’t be a distant possibility. Senior Congress leader V M Sudheeran’s remarks of the BJP being the ultimate beneficiary should be read along these lines, said Left leaders.
“Obviously, when the Congress surrenders before the Kerala Congress — which bears the tag of a Christian party — and the Muslim League dictating terms, the cadre get the feeling that the UDF favours only minorities. There could hence be a Hindu consolidation,” said Left commentator Sebastian Paul.
Yielding to communal appeasement could prove to be highly dangerous in the long run. It is the Left Front that should now ensure that the damage in the Congress does not end up as advantage BJP, he warned.
In fact, the humiliating drubbing in Chengannur — a constituency where the UDF once enjoyed more than 50 per cent of the votes — shows how both the Congress and the UDF have been losing their strongholds in central Travancore. That KC(M) leader Jose K Mani chose to move to the Rajya Sabha from the Lok Sabha should be seen as the dawning of a realisation of this unpleasant truth.
Though K M Mani has returned to the UDF fold, the rift between the Congress and KC(M) cadre has widened. And the Left Front leadership is confident that the same would reflect in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
Jose K Mani has been given clear indications that things won’t be so easy the next time, as he won’t be able to count on getting both the KC(M) and Congress votes. This was more or less conveyed to Mani, who in turn wanted P K Kunhalikutty to come up with a solution. The result was the RS seat formula. Otherwise, why should a Lok Sabha MP be given an RS seat? asked a senior Left leader.
“The UDF tactics of minority appeasement are very evident. The UDF has turned into a Chandy-Kunhalikutty-Mani axis. In view of a weakened UDF led by a divided Congress, we cannot reject the possibility of some Congress leaders moving to the BJP in the near future,” said CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan.
However, Kodiyeri is confident that the presence of a strong Left Front would prevent Congress workers from finding harbour under the saffron flag.
It is no secret that a couple of senior Congress leaders such as K Sudhakaran had once got invites from the BJP. In view of the latest developments, especially the brewing rebellion within the Grand Old Party, there could be an exodus of leaders and cadre.
The Left leadership is confident that the outflow would end up at the doors of the LDF.“Since the doors of the Left Front are open, a scenario of the BJP gaining from these developments is a no-no. The Chengannur bypoll result is a clear indication that the dip in the BJP’s vote share has been in favour of the Left,” said CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran.