THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala will take out a ‘Kerala Yatra’ along with senior leaders from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram from February 1 to 22 to project a collective leadership and regalvanise the UDF cadre, smarting under the recent local body poll setback, before the assembly elections.
The UDF meeting held at Chennithala’s official residence here on Monday, however, did not take up strengthening the front by bringing in NCP and Kerala Janapaksham (Secular) to its fold. The UDF leadership concluded that there is an anti-incumbency wave against the LDF government and that there is no scope for BJP-led NDA to emerge as a prominent front in Kerala. With this reading, the meeting decided to chalk out a campaign strategy to approach the people explaining why UDF has to be supported to form the next government.
Senior Congress MLA V D Satheesan has been appointed the jatha convener. The yatra will see KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran and senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy accompanying Chennithala on major stretches. A senior Congress leader told TNIE that a final decision on the two senior leaders accompanying Chennithala throughout the yatra will be taken later. All top UDF leaders will join the yatra to convey the message of “a collective leadership” ahead of the assembly polls.
“The Congress will move forward strongly and the issues faced in the civic body elections will be addressed. The concerns expressed by the UDF allies have been taken into consideration. When NCP is still a part of LDF, it is not fair to hold talks with them. Official-level talks have also not been held with P C George of Kerala Janapaksham (Secular),” said Chennithala.
It is reliably learnt that the P J Joseph faction of Kerala Congress (M) had expressed their strong reservations against bringing in George. Its leaders are of the view that he can contest as an independent candidate backed by UDF but not as a part of their faction.
Chennithala said he, along with other senior Congress leaders, have held discussions with bishops of different Christian denominations to address their concerns. The UDF meeting also decided to form a sub-committee, led by Benny Behanan as chairman and CMP leader C P John as vice-chairman, to prepare the front’s election manifesto. Recently, KPCC had appointed John Samuel as head of its public policy wing which will also see him helping the sub-committee in drafting the election manifesto.
While RSP and other allies expressed concerns about the delay in taking corrective measures by the front’s leading party in view of the LSG poll setback, the leadership informed the meeting that since AICC general secretary in charge of the state Tariq Anwar has already given his report to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, there will be a change of guard at the DCC level in the coming days.
UDF to hold dharnas in all assembly constituencies
The UDF decided to hold dharnas in all 140 assembly constituencies against the LDF government highlighting the plight of the jobless youths and in solidarity with the farmers’ protests against the Centre on January 23.