Left-front sends welcome message to Kerala Congress faction

The ruling CPM-led Left Democratic Front in Kerala has sent a welcome message to the Kerala Congress faction led by KM Mani's son and Rajya Sabha MP Jose K Mani which was ousted from the Congress-led United Democratic Front. However, the Pala Assembly constituency would be a major hurdle.

CPM state secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said in a write up in party mouthpiece that the Kerala Congress was a party with a mass base and that the UDF would be quite weak without the Kerala Congress. Close on the heels of that CPM senior leader and LDF convener A Vijayaraghavan said that the bar bribery allegation raised against KM Mani earlier was not relevant now and the LDF would discuss the present issues in the UDF.

However, Jose K Mani reacted that though he was happy at the CPM leaders' comments, so far no decision on joining the LDF was taken.

The Pala constituency that was held by K M Mani for over 50 years, till his death last year, maybe a major issue in the chances of Jose K Mani faction joining the LDF. NCP, which is a coalition partner of the LDF, won the Pala seat in the by-poll held following Mani's death.

NCP leader Mani C Kappan, who won the Pala seat in the by-poll, already made in clear that there won't be any compromise in Pala seat, even if it would welcome any decision of LDF to invite Jose K Mani faction.

Since the next Assembly polls are hardly one year away, the left-front may not take any decision that might affect the unity of the front.

Meanwhile, sources said that the BJP was also making efforts to woo BJP to the NDA. Kerala Congress's mass base was mainly the Christian vote banks of Kottayam and Idukki districts. Hence a healthy rapport with Kerala Congress might help the BJP. However, the Jose K Mani faction might make any moves in this regard very cautiously as a section in the party feels that it may lose its Christian vote base if it allies the BJP, said sources.