KOCHI: Come January 23, and NCP supremo Sharad Pawar will reveal whether the party remains with the LDF or joins the UDF, ending weeks-long speculation of his party leaving the Left front in Kerala .
Pawar, who met NCP leaders from Kerala in Mumbai on Thursday, is learnt to have told them there was no point in continuing in the front without having any say in its decisions.
He was also of the opinion the party should not give up any of the four assembly seats it had contested in the last elections. The factional feud between Transport Minister A K Saseendran and party state chief T P Peethambaran, supported by MLA Mani C Kappan, has gone on for a while now.
The rift in the NCP emerged after the CPM indicated that the Pala assembly seat, now represented by Kappan, will be allocated to the Kerala Congress (M) under Jose K Mani. Though the expected arrival of Pawar in Kochi on January 23 is considered as the central leadership’s bid to avoid an imminent split in the state unit, a section of leaders feel that a final decision on continuing in the LDF will be taken as Pawar will announce the party’s political stand after his arrival.
However, there is also a view that the NCP could be employing pressure tactics to retain all four seats while continuing to be part of the LDF. The NCP chief will attend the state executive committee meeting. “After the meeting, Sharad Pawar will announce the political decision taken by the party,” Peethambaran told TNIE over phone from Mumbai, after his meeting with Pawar.
UDF watching developments in NCP. ‘Saseendran likely to stay with LDF’
The Congress-led UDF is closely watching the developments in the NCP as it is looking to woo the party into its coalition by allocating the Pala assembly seat to Kappan. Both the factions have called separate meetings of leaders in all 14 districts to rally support ahead of a split. “The party is heading towards a split after the dispute over one seat. As the national leadership is supporting the Peethambaran faction, it would become the official faction while minister Saseendran may remain with the LDF.
The UDF would allocate Pala but the possibility of getting another seat which the party can win is very low. The situation is not very different in the LDF as CPM leaders are advising Saseendran to merge with the Congress (S) led by Kadannappally Ramachandran. At this juncture, the CPM may take over the Kuttanad seat which the party contested last time,” said a senior party leader.
Pressure tactics?
NCP chief Sharad Pawar will declare the party’s stand in Kochi on January 23. There is also a view that the NCP could be employing pressure tactics to retain all four seats in the LDF.