Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Congress (M) working chairman P. J. Joseph has taken an 'advance bail' saying that if party candidate Thomas Chazhikadan loses in Kottayam, he should not be blamed. Mr Joseph has foreseen Mr Chazhikadan's defeat due to the ignominy heaped on him (Joseph) by party chairman K.M. Mani and his son Jose K. Mani, MP.
Mr Joseph, who held talks with Congress leaders here on Wednesday, said it was difficult for him to continue in the KC(M) in view of the games being played by Mr Mani and son. If he was forced to quit, he should be allowed to continue in the UDF, he said. He also urged them to evolve a formula to tackle the issue. Mr Joseph first met CWC member Oommen Chandy at his home here and told him that he was being mistreated by Mr Mani and Mr Jose K. Mani. Later, he met Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala and KPCC president Mullapally Ramachandran. Mr Chennithala hoped that an amicable solution would be found.
A KC(M) general secretary told DC that the KPCC wants to avoid a split in the party. The Congress leadership has been caught in a catch-22 situation with the KC(M) standing firm on Chazhikadan, he said.
The Congress is facing a tricky situation as any effort to persuade Mr Chazhikadan to back off will affect other candidates in the neighbouring seats, especially Idukki and Pathanamthitta. Mr Jose K. Mani's assertion that the UDF allies need not interfere in the affairs of the party has come as a dampener. He told reporters at Pala that Mr Chazhikadan will remain in poll fray.
