Kottayam: The munsiff court, Thodupuzha, has issued a temporary injunction restraining Jose K. Mani from officiating as chairman of the KC(M). The court issued the order based on a petition filed by KC(M) state committee members Philip Stephen and Manohar Naduviladath from Idukki a day after the Kerala Congress(M) faction's state committee elected Jose K. Mani as the chairman.
The court also prevented him "from discharging any functions and powers attached to the office of the chairman of the KC (M), including holding of party committee meetings, taking disciplinary actions against party office-bearers and workers, sending letter to the Election Commission of India or any other statutory authorities intimating the so- called election of Jose as the party chairman in the meeting held on June 16 or any such other matters based on the said election till the disposal of the suit."
Immediately after the court order, Mr Mani reached the KC(M) state committee office in the evening and installed his name board in front of the party chairman's room. Reacting to the court order, he said the order would be perused thoroughly and a decision would be made accordingly.
Mr Mani said he was elected as the party chairman by a meeting attended by a majority of the state committee members. "If anyone holds a different opinion, let them approach the ECI , which is the appropriate forum for deciding such matters," he said. The faction led by the working chairman P.J.Joseph held a meeting in the state capital to decide on their future course of action.
The munsiff court order came even as the Mani faction approached the ECI intimating it of the election of the new chairman.
