KOCHI: The coalition politics in Kerala centred round the Congress and the CPM may see a realignment in the coming days with the Kerala Congress (Mani) walking out from the Congress-led United Democratic Front on Sunday. The departure of KC(M) chairman K.M. Mani, an integral part of the UDF for the past 35 years, will have a serious impact on the electoral fortunes of the Congress-led alliance in the state.
Kerala Congress (M) was one of the three main poles of UDF politics comprising the Congress and the Indian Muslim League. More than a political entity, KC (M) has been perceived as a key ingredient representing the interest of the Christian clergy in a carefully calibrated political alliance taking care of the interests of prominent communities.
The impact will be felt more in the three districts of Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Idukki in the central Travancore region, one of the strongholds of UDF alliance. Although Congress leaders are making bold pronouncements of the UDF remaining strong despite Mr Mani’s exit, the electoral arithmetic would not support such optimism. The KC (M) was able to corner 40 to 50 per cent share of votes in the seats contested by the party in the Assembly elections since 1970.
The electoral base of the party has not been eroded despite the splits if the percentage of votes received by various factions of the Kerala Congress can be taken as an indication. One notable feature of Kerala Congress politics is its ability to remain on the right side of the alliance in power. Given such a lineage, Mr. Mani is unlikely to remain content with his equal distance policy for long.
