Janata Dal in Kerala heading for split

Party State President M P Veerendrakumar claimed in Kozhikode on Friday that National President Deve Gowda had been misled by certain people on the exact state of affairs in the Kerala unit. He was reacting to Gowda’s decision on Thursday to reinstate four office-bearers whom he had suspended for anti-party activities.
As reported, a section of the party led by MLAs Jose Thettayil and former minister Mathew T Thomas had been toeing the line of CPM State Secretary Pinarayi Vijayan who is opposed to Veerendrakumar’s leadership.
“If anyone from the Janata Dal becomes a minister on the advice of the CPM, he will be the  CPM’s minister only,’’ Veerendrakumar said while reacting to Vijayan’s statement that the Dal would have its minister soon. The Dal state president said the suspension of the office-bearers was in keeping with the decision of the party state committee. After having worked successfully for the defeat of the CPM candidates in several constituencies, the JD is slated to join the Congress-led front soon. The UDF, which has acknowledged the Dal’s contribution to its victory, is also keen to accommodate the party.