THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In what could trigger a realignment in state politics, the UDF on Monday decided to keep the Jose K Mani faction of the Kerala Congress (M) out of the front. The move, which comes less than a year ahead of the assembly elections and just a few months ahead of local body polls, is significant as it follows the debacle the UDF suffered in assembly bypolls, particularly in Pala, where the front lost due to the fight between the factions led by Jose and veteran leader P J Joseph.
Jose termed the UDF decision ‘politically unjust’ and one that amounts to rejecting KM Mani’s politics. If he decides to walk out of the front, then the LDF is his next best option. The Left front, however, remained non-committal, but Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan urged the Jose faction to declare the faction’s political stand indicating that the doors are open.
Jose, however, did not reveal his future course of action, which could define his role in Kerala politics. The BJP leadership, meanwhile, is trying to woo the faction to the NDA.UDF convener Benny Behanan, while announcing the decision, said the Jose faction would not be allowed to attend the front’s meetings. The decision was taken for not abiding by the front’s diktat to vacate Kottayam district panchayat president’s post to make way for the Joseph faction’s candidate. The Jose faction had always maintained that there was no such understanding. The UDF will decide on the road ahead at a meeting to be held on Wednesday.
The UDF leaders had held telephonic conversations with Jose on Sunday. On Monday, Behanan, KPCC president Mullapally Ramachandran, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and former chief minister Oommen Chandy met at the Cantonment House while Muslim League leadership and the remaining allies were consulted over the phone.
UDF decides not to invite Jose faction for meetings
The leaders came to a unanimous decision that the defiant Jose faction should not be allowed to continue in the UDF. Chandy and IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty were keen to see that the conflict within KC(M) does not go out of the front’s control.Joseph faction leaders P J Joseph, Mons Joseph, Joy Abraham and T U Kuruvila also attended the meeting before the decision was announced. Behanan said the Jose faction was openly challenging the UDF leadership’s decision.
“As per the agreement, the faction was allowed to hold power for eight months and the Joseph faction for six months. The UDF held several rounds of talks with the factions to have the agreement implemented. But with Jose faction remaining firm on their stance, we decided that they have no right to continue in UDF. The leadership also decided not to invite them to its meetings until further notice,” Behanan said. Joseph called the decision “righteous” before taking a dig at Jose by calling him “Jose Giebels”. “The Jose faction broke the agreement to share the Kottayam district panchayat president post. They are claiming that there is no such agreement,” said Joseph.
He said since the Jose faction had claimed during the Pala bypoll that ‘K M. Mani is the symbol’, there is no point in saying now that they did not get the ‘two leaves’ symbol. Joseph alleged that the Jose faction had worked against the constitution of the party. The UDF has called its high-powered committee meet on Wednesday at Cantonment House at 3pm in which it chalks out the next strategy.
WHAT THEY SAID
Jose faction failed to implement the UDF leadership decision with regard to the change of guard in Kottayam district panchayat even after repeated reminders and discussions. Hence they don’t deserve to continue in the coalition Benny Behanan, UDF convener
This is an issue of the self-respect for the KC (M). We’ll never compromise our self-esteem. We won’t cow down to any threats either Jose K Mani, KC(M) leader
The faction which does not agree to the decisions taken by the UDF leadership can no longer be a part of the frontP J Joseph, , KC(M) leader
Political stances are taken depending on the situation. Let them (Jose K Mani faction) make their stand clear Pinarayi Vijayan, Chief Minister