A people’s movement, with leaders drawn mainly from socialist background at the helm, is in the offing in the state.
The formation of the group also heralds the opening of a new front against the alleged anti-people policies of the government.
The move gains significance as leaders of Janatha Dal(S) and Socialist Janata Dal(SJD) - splinter factions of former Janata Dal currently in opposite political camps - are expected to attend the meeting on Friday at Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan Hall, Ernakulam.
However, according to the orgainsers, M P Veerendra Kumar, one of the tallest leaders of the socialist stream in the state, is not part of this union.
Former MP and socialist leader P Viswambharan will inaugurate the meeting which will be presided over by Thampan Thomas, another leader of the same political milieu.
Though the leaders of both factions of Janata Dal deny that the possibility of launching a new political party, they hinted that the movement will function cutting across borders of various political parties.
According to K Krishnankutty, the senior vice President of SJD, a constituent of the UDF, the new movement has become a necessity as corporate companies have become decision makers of the political parties.
“A movement against the rampant anti-people policies of the state government has become a need of the hour. This gesture cannot be seen as the starting of a new political outfit. In fact it is our protest against those who are riding together with globalisation policies, he told Express.
Krishnankutty along with former MLA MK Premnath, a senior leader of SJD who was removed from party post recently, will attend the function.
Reportedly, both the leaders are at loggerheads with the state leadership. JDS leaders and MLA Mathew T Thomas who is also the state President of JD(S) and Jose Thettayil will address the gathering along with M K Kannan, CMP state secretary .
“This movement will not evolve into a political party as we are not in favour of losing our political identity. But this movement will act as a common platform to organise people against the anti-people policies of government,” said Mathew T Thomas.