KOCHI: Buoyed by its decisive local body election victory, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has moved swiftly to widen its political base, inducting P V Anvar’s Trinamool Congress and C K Janu’s Janadhipathya Rashtriya Sabha as associate members .
The decision was taken at a high-level UDF leadership meeting held in Kochi on Monday, signalling an early and aggressive build-up to the Assembly elections.
Along with Anvar and Janu, Vishnupuram Chandrasekharan of Kamraj Congress was also granted associate membership.
Leader of the Opposition and UDF chairman V D Satheeshan said the induction was aimed at consolidating the UDF’s presence in specific regions where the new entrants have a strong grassroots base.
“These parties approached us seeking to work with the UDF. Tinfluence in particular areas and communities. As associate members, they will strengthen the UDF in the upcoming Assembly elections,” Satheeshan said, making it clear that the move was strategic rather than symbolic.
Both Janadhipathya Rashtriya Sabha, led by C K Janu, and Vishnupuram Chandrasekharan’s Kamraj Congress were earlier part of the NDA.
However, the UDF leadership underlined that associate membership does not amount to permanent induction into the Front. Satheeshan also sought to put to rest speculation about wider realignments, including a possible return of Kerala Congress (M).
“We have not authorised anyone to hold talks with parties that left the UDF earlier. That said, our doors are not closed. Anyone willing to work with the UDF and accept its politics can approach us,” he said, adding that many former Left supporters were already gravitating towards the UDF, disillusioned with what he described as the LDF’s “rightward drift”.
The meeting was attended by key constituents of the front, including IUML leaders P K Kunhalikutty and P M A Salam, Kerala Congress (Joseph) chairman P J Joseph, RSP leaders Shibu Baby John and N K Premachandran, CMP leader C P John, KPCC president Sunny Joseph, former KPCC president K Sudhakaran, and UDF convenor Adoor Prakash.
UDF begins Assembly election preparations.
With the organisational expansion in place, the UDF has formally kicked off its Assembly election preparations. Satheeshan said the front is targeting at least 100 seats, with seat-sharing talks to be completed by January 15.
A major rally under his leadership is planned for the first week of February to unveil the UDF manifesto, which is being drafted with inputs from sectoral experts.
“The CPM has neither accepted its local body defeat nor corrected its course. That only strengthens our case,” Satheeshan said, striking a confident note as the UDF shifts decisively into election mode.