THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ruling CPI(M)-led LDF in Kerala today decided to make NCP and Kerala Congress (P C Thomas faction) as partners of the coalition.
The decision was taken by the LDF state committee which met here today, over-ruling reservations from minor partners RSP and Congress-S over the move.
Briefing reporters, LDF convener Vaikom Viswan justfied the decision to make NCP a partner, despite the party led by Sharad Pawar being part of the UPA government at the Centre.
"Considering the situation in Kerala, taking these parties into LDF-fold would do good for the coalition as well as the state as a whole", Viswan said.
NCP was earlier a partner of LDF but was kept out after that party aligned with Congress at national level.
Taking over the reins of the state NCP by former KPCC president and son of veteran Congress leader K Muraleedharan was also a reason for LDF distancing from NCP.
But ever since Muraleedharan left NCP to seek re-entry into Congress, NCP leaders in the state had been warming up to LDF. The party has two members in the state assembly.
The decision on taking Kerala Congress (Thomas faction) into LDF had been pending ever since that group led by former union minister P C Thomas declined to go along with Kerala Congress (J) leader P J Joseph to dissolve his outfit and merge with Kerala Congress (Mani), a partner of opposition Congress-led UDF.
Joseph had two months ago resigned from the cabinet ahead of his outfit's merger with KC(M).