THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The UDF coordination committee meeting held at Cantonment house on Monday concluded without finalising its candidate for the Pala by-election. UDF chairman and leader of opposition Ramesh Chenntihala told the media after the meeting.
“I do admit that there are certain issues between the Jose K Mani faction and the P J Joseph faction within the Kerala Congress. But this is not a major issue, the Congress leadership has already spoken to both leaders individually and a final decision will come out in the days to come,” Ramesh Chennithala said.
“We are a democratic political entity and being the leader of the UDF, we have the responsibility to sort out the differences that crops up in political allies. This does not mean that we are snatching the seat just like the CPM does when there are issues between two political parties within a front”, Opposition leader said. UDF convenor Benny Behanan, MP, also said that the front will fight the ensuing Pala by-election as a single entity and that there was no bone of contention for Pala seat. He said that the issue will be resolved amicably.
Meanwhile, in KC(M), while P J Joseph asked the party steering committee to finalise the candidate; a close associate of Jose K Mani, Roshy Augustine, told media that the responsibility for finalising the candidate vested with Jose K Mani.