KOTTAYAM: The High Court’s order upholding the Election Commission of India’s decision awarding the title and symbol of Kerala Congress (M) to the faction led by Jose K Mani has come as a major boost to Jose as well as the Left Democratic Front (LDF) in the run-up to the local body elections.
The HC order is expected to give a political advantage to Jose over his rival faction led by P J Joseph as the former is now entitled to use KC(M)’s official ‘Two Leaves’ symbol in the local body poll subject to the clearance from the State Election Commission (SEC). Earlier, while allotting ‘chenda’ to Joseph and ‘table fan’ to Jose as temporary election symbols for local body poll, the SEC had mentioned that the decision will be subject to the HC order on a petition filed by Joseph against the EC’s order. With the HC issuing a final order on the petition, it is learnt only some technical formalities remain to be completed to sanction ‘Two Leaves’ to Jose.
If Joseph fails to secure a stay order against the HC single bench’s order before the deadline to withdraw nominations ends on Monday, it is learnt that the SEC can allocate the official symbol to Jose. Earlier, Jose had directed all his candidates contesting in local body polls to file two sets of nomination papers with one having ‘Two Leaves’ as the election symbol and the other with ‘table fan’, taking into account the awaited order from the HC. If the SEC grants ‘Two Leaves’ to Jose’s KC(M), it will have an edge over Joseph faction as the symbol has an emotional attachment with voters of Central Travancore.
It is in this context that Jose K Mani said in Kottayam that the HC’s order is an achievement to KC(M) and LDF during electioneering for the first phase of the local body poll. “The order has enabled the KC(M) and LDF to move ahead in the election activities with more vigour. With regard to the symbol, let the Election Commission take further decisions,” he said.
At the same time, confusion remains over whether the Joseph faction can use the title of KC(M) in this election in view of the HC order. With the HC ruling, the EC’s order has come into effect which has clearly stated that Jose is entitled to use the KC(M)’s title and symbol. In such a situation, Joseph faction members can contest as independent candidates only. It is the SEC which is to take a final decision on all such matters.
Meanwhile, Joseph faction’s first priority will be to secure a stay on the single bench’s order to prevent Jose faction taking advantage in the local body poll.