Thiruvananthapuram: The Congress leadership in the state will have two tough tasks on hand when the UDF high power committee meets here on Monday: to put up a united front despite palpable friction among its leaders, and to retain the cordial relations with the Kerala Congress (Mani) which has been giving out signals of deep disenchantment with the front.
Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala had come under the wrath of KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran for not issuing a notice on adjournment motion against the appointment of M. K. Damodaran as the chief minister’s legal advisor. Leaders close to Mr Sudheeran have openly criticised the parliamentary party for giving away a golden opportunity to nail the government in the house, and instead giving the BJP the momentum.
It was also alleged that Mr Chennithala had supported Muslim League leader P. K. Kunhalikutty who wanted to return a favour to Mr Damodaran for allegedly exonerating him from the ice-cream parlour case. Mr Chennithala may, however, take solace in the fact that former chief minister Oommen Chandy has sought to shield him saying the working style of UDF was different compared with the CPM and the BJP.
“We don’t resort to holding protests right from the time a new government comes to power,” he said in Kozhikode. Kerala Congress leader K. M. Mani has been trying to pressure the Congress leadership after he alleged that senior Congress leaders have a role in the bar bribery scam. His relations with the Congress worsened after Mr Chandy and Mr Chennithala attended the betrothal ceremony of former revenue minister Adoor Prakash’s son with barman Biju Ramesh’s daughter.
The party leadership, however, is relieved that the AICC took no action though KC (M)’s youth wing Youth Front (M) shot off a letter to the party leadership demanding action against state party leaders. Mr Chandy, who pre-empted the gravity of the developments, said Mr Mani has stood with the Front despite invitations from others in the last five years. UDF sources told DC that there are chances of Congress leadership holding separate talks with the peeved KC (M) leadership.
