KOTTAYAM: Pala is yet again on the boil with NCP leader and MLA Mani C Kappan on Sunday reiterating that he would contest from the constituency, throwing to the wind the so-called truce arrived at by his party and the LDF regarding the formula for the coming assembly elections.
In an interaction with reporters here, Kappan said there’s no going back on his decision to contest from Pala, which triggered speculation that he along with his supporters may join the UDF camp to contest from the constituency, which was wrested from the Kerala Congress (M) after more than 50 years.
“Pala is still my heart. Nobody has asked me to hand over the seat. I will contest from Pala,” he said.
The party leader’s move has raised eyebrows in the political circles as there were reports that the NCP state unit may allocate the Pala seat to KC(M) headed by Jose K Mani and in return accept a Rajya Sabha seat for Kappan. Now with Kappan coming up with a statement that he will contest from Pala seat, the NCP leadership is in a quandary.
However, the top leadership has played down the issue saying the seat-sharing talks are yet to begin.
“There is no precedence in the LDF to hand over a seat won by a constituent to another. The bilateral talks are yet to commence. The chief minister has not given an appointment on holding talks with party national leader Prabhul Patel so far,” said T P Peethambaran, NCP state president.
However, Kappan said two attempts were made by NCP to fix an appointment for Praful Patel with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. “Despite two attempts, the CM has not given an appointment for the talks. The reason is unknown,” Kappan said.
No need to leave LDF, says A K Saseendran
The NCP’s A K Saseendran faction has rubbished rumours that the party will leave LDF. Minister Saseendran said there is no need to quit the Left front. The LDF leadership has not asked the party to vacate the Pala seat for others he told reporters in Kozhikode.
“At a time when the UDF is in a state of internal conflict, efforts are being made to show a similar situation in the LDF. The reports that NCP will leave the Left front are baseless,” he said.