THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Which way will the wind blow for Kerala Congress (M)?
Remaining a solitary reaper in Kerala politics for over a year after severing ties with UDF, the KC(M), or rather the outfit’s mega meet at Kottayam from Thursday, is being keenly watched by observers and the mainstream Left and Right Fronts. This, despite it being more or less confirmed the event is not going to spring any surprises. Though the outfit’s value in Central Travancore cannot be dismissed, a new political alignment will definitely make a difference.
However, KC(M) under K M Mani is swiftly heading towards an inevitable split. The groundwork will be laid in the mega meet as KC(M) working chairman P J Joseph and his followers have become mentally prepared to walk out sooner or later. Of the six KC(M) MLAs, party deputy chairman C F Thomas and Mons Joseph are in favour of realigning with UDF like P J Joseph.
Party insiders in the know are aware the top CPM leadership is keen on roping in KC(M), in full or parts. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and team are keen to team up with KC(M) for various reasons.
But party interests are more important, according to Jose K Mani MP. “The issue in front of (KC(M) is not the interests of K M Mani or Jose K Mani but the party’s larger interest. It is a fact a section in the Congress consistently schemed to humiliate K M Mani and KC(M) while he was a minister in UDF,” Jose K Mani told Express, referring to the ‘Bar bribery case’. He also countered the charge he was instrumental in the KC(M)-UDF split.
“A feeling of backstabbing, of KC(M) and its supremo, invaded the minds of party supporters which is why there was no split in the party,” he said. For Mons Joseph MLA, the present state of affairs in KC(M) is saddening. “Despite his strong inclination towards UDF, P J Joseph was magnanimous in facilitating a smooth run for KC(M) after it decided to stay single. We were keen on averting a split. But what is the way out when one is pushed to the wall?” Mons told Express.
Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and the ‘A’ faction in Congress are keen to bring Mani and KC(M) back to UDF in toto. But Mani and his son and heir-apparent are in no mood to trust the other faction in the Congress, who they still hold as villains in scripting the Bar bribery scam.
Only a finality in the Bar bribery case will prepare the ground for further moves. New turns in the developing politics in KC(M) cannot be wished away, as K M Mani can crack the whip and leave UDF-inclined MLAs at the risk of disqualification from Assembly. Only four of the six MLAs can emerge as a group to browbeat such a whip threat and eventually save UDF.“Then we will take the risk,” said a senior leader aligned with P J Joseph.