THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The UDF liaison committee meeting to be held at Cantonment House here on Monday is expected to be stormy in the wake of Welfare Party of India chairman Hameed Vaniyambalam’s allegations that KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran was the one who took the initiative to hatch local-level tie-ups with his party in the local body elections.
Though the meeting is being convened to discuss issues related to the assembly elections, the leaders are expected to take up the issue of strengthening the front by bringing in NCP and P C George’s Kerala Janapaksham (Secular).
The WPI leader’s revelation on Sunday against Mullappally has come at the most inopportune time when the UDF is trying to bury the issue. What irked the Congress and UDF camps was that it was a collective decision to have local-level adjustments with WPI. Mullappally will have to do a lot of explaning at the UDF meeting. UDF convener M M Hassan told TNIE that preparations for the assembly elections will be discussed at the meeting.
“The NCP leadership has not expressed any desire to join UDF so far. Transport Minister A K Saseendran has said the LDF will retain power and asked what benefit NCP will gain by joining UDF. We can’t help it if George has conveyed his interest to join our front,” said Hassan.
However, the majority of Congress leaders, including those from Youth Congress, have expressed displeasure at George’s attempt to return to UDF as they allege that he cannot be trusted. Meanwhile, the IUML and other allies are also expected to raise the steps taken by KPCC to tide over the setback suffered in the local body polls. AICC organising general secretary K C Venugopal had apprised UDF allies before returning to New Delhi that “corrective steps” will be taken by KPCC like replacing certain DCC presidents who had put up a dismal show.
Also, there is confusion on IUML national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty quitting his Lok Sabha seat and getting active in state politics. Recently, the AICC leadership had taken a decision that the sitting Congress MPs will not be contesting in the assembly elections as they do not want to weaken their strength in the Lok Sabha.