THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Congress (Mani) vice-chairman P. J. Joseph has shunned all agitational methods and resorted to prayer to achieve his legitimate political and other earthly desires. After raising his demand for two Lok Sabha seats at the UDF meeting two days ago, he conducted a prayer meeting at Martyrs' Square at Palayam here under the aegis of Gandhi Study Centre coinciding with the Martyrs' Day on Wednesday.
What lent weight to the prayer meeting was the presence of Kerala Janapaksham leader P. C. George, once the arch rival of Mr Joseph.
Though Mr Joseph maintained that there was no politics behind the prayer, sceptics found in it a signal that all was not well between him and party chairman K.M. Mani.
Out of six party MLAs, Mani loyalists N. Jayaraj and C. F. Thomas, former government chief whip Thomas Unniyadan and party vice- chairman T. U. Kuruvila attended the meeting.
Mr Mani and another MLA Roshy Augustine abstained from it though they were present in the city.
Mr Joseph exchanged pleasantries with Mr P.C. George leading to speculations about his real intentions.
"There is no need to mix politics with the prayer meeting. There is no connection with Jose K. Mani's Kerala Yatra and my prayer meeting. I have always taken a soft stand towards my enemies. George was not invited by me but by Mons Joseph," said Mr Joseph.
Mr George in his speech said that he decided to attend the meeting uninvited as it was meant to oppose corruption and support non-violence.
New Delhi Gandhi Peace Mission chairman Dr. N. Radhakrishnan inaugurated the meeting.
Rajya Sabha MP Jose K. Mani told reporters in Malappuram that there was nothing wrong in the party MLAs attending the prayer meeting. He made light of the media theory that the party was headed for a split.
