Thiruvananthapuram: The Kerala Congress (M) on Friday decided to field party vice-chairman and member of the Lok Sabha from Kottayam Jose K. Mani to contest the elections to the Rajya Sabha, the day when the party returned to the UDF in true style after two years of vacillation. The UDF had on Thursday decided to allot the lone seat it can win in the biennial election to the Upper House to the party.
The 53-year old Mr Mani will replace the party’s sitting member Joy Abraham. This decision was taken at the parliamentary party meeting of the KC (M) held at Mr Mani’s house at Pala. With the junior Mani being deputed to RS, it is clear that KC (M) was unsure of it prospects in the Kottayam Lok Saha seat in the next general elections and that the veteran leader has ensured a safe berth for his son in the Rajya Sabha.
A top Congress leader told DC that there was confusion in KC (M) on whether it should be Mr Mani or his son who should be sent to the RS. But majority of the party leaders maintained that KC (M) will lose its sitting Pala assembly seat if Mr Mani, who represents the constituency now, is deputed to the RS. “In the case of Jose K. Mani being sent to RS, a by-election will not happen in Kottayam Lok Sabha seat as there is less than a year for the general election. As per the Election Commission norms a by-election will not be held if there is less than a year for the general election.
By 2019, the Congress can field a formidable candidate from the Kottayam Lok Sabha seat which can be dealt later,” said a Congress leader. It is understood that AICC general secretary Oommen Chandy has suggested that Idukki Lok Sabha seat be given to the Joseph faction in the KC (M) so that the Congress can take back the prestigious Kottayam Lok Sabha seat. Rumours are rife that such a package has already been formulated by Mr Chandy and Muslim league leader P.K. Kunhalikutty and that it has the backing of the KC (M) leadership which would mean that the seat sharing mechanism will not dent the prospects in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
Earlier in the day, Mr Mani announced the decision to return to the front soon after the parliamentary party meet convened in Thiruvananthapuram ahead of the UDF meeting. He said the party was returning to the UDF to “protect the interests of secularism and that of the farmers”. He expressed gratitude to Congress president Rahul Gandhi, Mr Chandy, Mr Kunhalikutty, opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and KPCC president M. M. Hassan.
Mr Mani said he has requested the centre to include farmers having less than one hectare in the BPL list and make Rs 200 the minimum support price for a kg of rubber. Later at the UDF meeting, Mr Mani got a cordial welcome by the UDF leadership which saw former KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran walking out in a huff against the decision to give the RS seat to KC (M). Congress MLA K. Muraleedharan MLA and KC (J) chairman Johnny Nellore were also conspicuous by their absence.
