KOTTAYAM: Amid uncertainties in the UDF over deciding its candidate for the upcoming Kuttanad byelection, a steering committee meeting of the Kerala Congress (M) led by Jose K Mani will be held in Kottayam on Sunday. The meeting assumes importance as the party leadership is expected to discuss matters pertaining to the bypoll and the disqualification move against its MLAs PJ Joseph and Mons Joseph for violating the party whip in the assembly.
With the Election Commission of India’s (ECI) recent order, Jose-led faction has become stronger, as they got the legal right of the KC(M) party and its official symbol ‘Two Leaves’. Even though KC (M) is not part of the UDF presently, their stand will be crucial for the front in deciding their candidate. In the previous assembly election, KC(M) candidate Jacob Abraham, who was a nominee of P J Joseph, had contested here. So KC(M) has a natural claim on this seat. But in view of the ECI order, despite continuing in the UDF, Joseph can’t field a candidate as KC(M) nominee here.
Jose camp considers this an opportunity to take revenge on Joseph, who denied the party symbol for Jose faction’s Jose Tom in the previous bypoll in Pala last September. “Will Joseph show the courage to field a candidate in Kuttanad with ‘Two Leaves’ as the symbol? It is Jose who will take a decision on the awarding of the symbol.
Joseph is trying to mislead people with false claims,” said N Jayaraj MLA of KC (M). He said that Sunday’s meeting will take a decision on submitting a petition before the Assembly Speaker against Joseph and Mons. “Speaker can’t dismiss our petition. Since the ECI is the final authority to take a decision with regard to a political party and its symbol, disqualification is awaiting Joseph,” he added.Meanwhile, Joseph told reporters in Thodupuzha on the day that his candidate will contest in Kuttanad.
