THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opening doors for the Kerala Congress dissidents led by Francis George to the Left fold, the dissidents held talks with CPM leaders on Friday. Welcoming their decision to move out of the UDF, CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said a decision on their association with the Left would be taken at the LDF meet.
Francis George, along with Antony Raju and K C Joseph, met CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, politburo member Pinarayi Vijayan and LDF convener Vaikom Viswan on Friday and held talks with them.
Sources said the dissident leaders also held talks with CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran over phone.
“The leaders explained the reasons and factors which forced them to move out of the UDF. A decision on associating with them, what kind of association and other aspects will be taken by the LDF,” Kodiyeri said. He said that when polls were around the corner, the UDF was facing a serious situation.
“Kerala Congress, the third largest party in the front, has split into two. Leaders in the former P J Joseph faction other than P J Joseph have moved out.
They have made an open declaration about the reasons for the split. We welcome the decision. A decision on cooperating with them and what kind of cooperation will be discussed by the LDF,” the CPM state secretary said. On asked, Kodiyeri said the LDF would meet soon once the bilateral talks within the front were over.
LDF convener Vaikom Viswam also told reporters that a decision on taking the dissidents to the Left fold would be taken by the LDF. The Kerala Congress dissidents expressed hope that they would get deserving consideration from the Left front. The dissidents said the Kerala Congress(J) would be reconstituted.