MP Veerendra Kumar, son all set to cross over

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: JD (U) state president M.P. Veerendrkumar and his son M.V. Shreyams Kumar, Kalpetta MLA, are waiting for an opportune moment to ditch the UDF and join the LDF, it is learnt. 

Congress and UDF leaders believe that Mr Veerendra Kumar may not take the plunge till  the  Bihar Assembly elections slated for November and the  Aruvikkara by-election.  

It may be recalled that the RJD and the JD (U) in Bihar have merged in the Janata Parivar and will contest the polls unitedly under one symbol.

Ever since Mr Veerendra Kumar had called on Opposition Leader V. S. Achuthanandan and later CPM secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, speculation was rife on his switching sides to the LDF.

Congress leaders say that an intellectual and literary  leader like Mr Veerendra Kumar should not  have contested from the Palakkad Lok Sabha constituency, an agrarian centre. He was now putting the blame on the Congress for his defeat.

“Veeran’s camp is on a political game plan. He is trying to show some face-saving gesture in the backdrop of the UDF sub-committee report on the poll debacle as well as resorting to pressure tactics. Veeran is also not happy with the style of functioning of Agriculture Minister K. P. Mohanan of the JD(U), who is keen to stay with the UDF,”  said a Congress  MLA.

While JD (U) leaders Varghese George and Shaikh P. Harris are close to the Veerendra Kumar camp, Mr Mohanan  is aware that he can’t nurse long-term political ambitions if he stays  put with the father-son duo. After the Bihar developments, national as well as state leaders are in the grip of confusion, said another MLA.