THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Overenthusiasm by a section in the party leadership spoiled the Kerala Congress (M)’s possible entry into the UDF, feel some Congress leaders.
According to them, the party’s public display of overenthusiasm following the defection of former CPM MLA Aisha Potti had in effect cautioned the CPM and in turn helped the latter to set its house in order.
“The celebrations surrounding Aisha Potti’s switch of allegiance to the Congress adversely affected ongoing efforts to bring the KC(M) back into the UDF,” said a senior Congress leader.
“Leaders and cyber warriors claimed that an important leader or a party from the LDF is about to switch over to the opposition bench under the influence of ‘UDF Vismayam’. However, they failed to understand that the course of action in effecting the switching over of a party from one front to another has to be carried out in a discrete way,” he said.
The media attention and public discourse about the possible defection of a party from the LDF had cautioned both the CPM and the chief minister. The CPM swiftly identified the said movements and discussions held between some leaders from both sides and took remedial action.
The KC (M) leadership, it is learnt, was unsettled by the manner in which the ‘defection’ was showcased, prompting a pause in informal engagements with the Congress. Some Congress leaders admitted that the episode may have sent the wrong political signals at a time when alliance building required restraint and consensus.
Congress sources also said the aggressive projection of Aisha Potti’s defection was perceived by potential allies as a premature triumph, complicating the delicate negotiations aimed at expanding the UDF’s alliance base ahead of the next assembly elections.
Congress Working Committee member Kodikkunnil Suresh held a series of discussions with the former CPM MLA taking her into confidence. Later AICC general secretary K C Venugopal assured the leader of UDF’s protection. However, after her acceptance of Congress membership, the credit was taken away from the collective leadership by certain leaders, it was alleged.
There is also criticism among senior leaders the way Aisha Potti was ‘paraded’ at the second day of Congress’ day-and-night protest programme against the Central government’s new amendment act in place of MGNREGA in front of Lok Bhavan.
“This was a programme to highlight the Union government’s anti -people policies. However, in the name of giving party membership to Aisha Potti, some leaders took her to the protest venue and tried to steal the show,” a KPCC office-bearer said.
UDF didn’t hold talks with KC(M): Joseph
Kottayam: Kerala Congress faction leader P J Joseph on Friday said the UDF never held talks to bring rival Jose K Mani’s KC(M) back into the coalition. It was KC(M) that tried to cozy up to UDF, but moved away later, Joseph told reporters on the sidelines of the party’s state convention in Kottayam. “The UDF has not held any discussions with the KC (M). Everything is their creation,” he said.