THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: With infighting in Left ally NCP over changing political fronts reaching a peak, party national president Sharad Pawar will soon come to Kerala to address the organisational dispute. Meanwhile in an obvious political move, the NCP state leadership said it doesn’t feel that the LDF had made major achievements in the local body polls in Central Kerala.
The factional war between Transport Minister A K Saseendran and NCP chief T P Peethambaran supported by Mani C Kappan has been going on for some time. Pawar is expected to hold talks with both factions.Pawar has decided to come to the state amid reports of an imminent split in the party. Saseendran had met Pawar on Wednesday while Peethambaran and Mani C Kappan met him on Thursday. Both factions have made it clear that any final decision on switching political fronts could lead to a split in the party.There are indications that Pawar, along with senior leader Praful Patel, may reach the state within a week. He is expected to attend the state executive meeting and will hold separate talks with both factions. Only then a final decision on continuing with the Left Front would be taken.
Both factions claim the support of Pawar. On Wednesday, Saseendran informed Pawar that the new political atmosphere in the state is favourable to the Left and hence there’s no need for shifting allegiance to Opposition UDF. Saseendran is of the view that crossing over to UDF for just the Pala assembly constituency could lead to a major setback.
However, Peethambaran and Kappan, informed Pawar on Thursday that this time, NCP may not get the four seats it contested last time. After the meeting, Peethambaran told mediapersons that Pawar has made it clear that there is no need for adjustments over seats.
“Sharad Pawar has made his stance clear that the party need not go for adjustments over seats. Mani C Kappan has already made it clear that the party won’t give up Pala seat. If the LDF intimates us about a takeover of NCP’s sitting seats, the party will then have to take a call on the next course of action,” he said. Peethambaran added that the decision taken by the NCP national leadership would obviously be binding on Saseendran too.