Thiruvananthapuram: At the meeting of the UDF held here on Tuesday, allies IUML, KC (J) and JDU asked the Congress leaders to stop infighting and speak in one voice.
But Congress leaders, including former chief minister Oommen Chandy and bete noire V.M. Sudheeran, the KPCC chief, remained tight-lipped.
IUML leader P.K. Kunhalikutty led the charge alleging that the front could not go on when the Congress party gets ridiculed in public. The deputy leader of opposition also threatened to explore "other alternatives" if the infighting continued.
"If the UDF has to stage protests against state and Union governments, there should be unity among leaders," he said.
KC (J) chairman Johnny Nellore folded his hands and pleaded with them to stop washing their dirty linen in public. Mr Kunhalikutty, N. K. Premachandran (RSP) and C. P. John (CMP) also urged them to avoid public outbursts, referring to the recent war of words. They said the UDF should speak in one voice and there should be no "second voice".
The meeting decided to go ahead with agitations not disrupting normal life of people and to hold a convention to finalise it.
Though there were suggestions for a hartal, Mr Chandy put his foot down saying the public should not suffer. Others insisted that a shutdown strike was necessary as the LDF government had failed to ensure ration rice.
Finally, Mr Chandy had his way. Citing his continuing non-cooperation with the Congress leadership, Mr Nellore urged Mr Chandy to come to the forefront of the UDF leadership. Other allies backed him. Briefing reporters later, Mr Chennithala said the agitational programmes would start next month.
The governance has come to a halt, he said, and the government was watching the match from the gallery when people were begging for ration rice.
