Kerala Congress (M) turns murkier with rebel move

In-fighting in the Kerala Congress (M), a key coalition partner of the Congress in Kerala, turned murkier on Wednesday with a warring faction announcing a rebel candidate for the upcoming by-poll to Pala Assembly constituency.

The by-poll assumed significance as party chairman K M Mani was representing the constituency for 54 years consecutively till his death in April.

Amidst the power struggle between two factions after Mani's death, Jose Tom Pulikunnel of the faction led by K M Mani's son and Rajya Sabha MP Jose K Mani was announced as the party candidate for the by-poll scheduled for September 23.

But the rival faction led by party's working chairman P J Joseph made a surprise move as a key member of the faction, Joseph Kandathil, filed nomination on Wednesday.

P J Joseph, who is technically holding party chairman position after K M Mani's death, was firm on its stand that the party's official symbol two-leaves would be allotted to Jose Tom Pulikunnel only if the rival faction accepted him (P J Joseph) as the party leader. The fresh rebel move was to impose further pressure on the Jose K Mani faction.

Congress leaders in Kerala were holding talks with the Jose K Mani and P J Joseph factions to find an amicable solution.