Beneath the confabulations and attempts to slow-pedal on the internal crisis in the Kerala Congress (M) precipitated by the perennial foul speak of party vice-chairman P C George against leaders, it has become clear that he will have to mend ways for now and will be forced to find his own political asylum elsewhere sooner or later.
Or else, the bickerings is definitely heading for a total break-up in the regional outfit.
K M Mani and P J Joseph are yet to hold any serious discussions on the George issue, though there is no dearth of exchanging pleasantries for public consumption. Mani maintains that there is no serious issue in the Kerala Congress.
Yet, a date for holding the high power committee of the party to discuss the George issue has not yet been fixed, understandably since prior discussions have not been held between Mani and P C George so far.
George is manoeuvering on his own at present to browbeat critics even while in a soup, with public postures such as “Joseph is my leader.” However, George is yet to make the desired impact so far on that.
A vast majority of leaders and supporters of P J Joseph, who are hibernating for three years after being sidelined ever since the merger of his faction with the Kerala Congress(M), are eagerly waiting for an opportunity to revive their outfit. That the idea has gained currency with a section in the Congress also and allowing Joseph and team to continue in the UDF itself in the event of a split in the Kerala Congress is another interesting development.
“We have been pushed against a wall. We cannot go back nor tolerate the humiliations of George anymore. Only convincing action against George can make any change. And it is for the party chairman Mani to take a final decision at the earliest, if not to precipitate matters further,” said K C Joseph ex-MLA, a staunch loyalist of P J Joseph.
“We are not eager to engineer any split in the party. Let George continue as the Government Chief Whip. But he should not be allowed to continue in the post of party vice-chairman or represent the party at UDF meets,” K C Joseph told ‘Express.’
“We cannot take any more rounds on George,” said K Francis George ex-MP.
Supporters of P J Joseph is making every effort to prevail upon Mani that if George was allowed to continue in this fashion, the party would have to pay a heavy price in the Kottayam Lok Sabha seat, where Jose K Mani MP is all set to seek re-election. KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala opined that P C George should exercise restraint.
“What he has to say should be aired in the appropriate party forums,” Ramesh felt, adding to a general feeling that George is at the end of a road in the Kerala Congress.