Thiruvananthapuram: A churning process is on in the Kerala Congress with a few leaders planning to unite all the factions under one roof. Keeping up its tradition of splitting and growing and vice versa, KC (Jacob) chairman Johnny Nellore has taken upon himself the onerous task of creating a single Kerala Congress even as KC (M) chairman K. M. Mani is struggling hard to keep Mr P. J. Joseph and his loyal MLAs from leaving the KC(M). Mr Francis George, who had joined the LDF during the 2016 Assembly election, is also looking for an opportunity to return to the UDF.
“KC was launched for the welfare of the farmers. Now the agricultural sector has been badly affected. I have already spoken to Mani, Francis George and P. J. Joseph for a united party and have expressed their willingness,” said Mr Nellore. He has been facing intra-party issues and wants to get back his lost place in the KC (J) before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections.
The two factions of Mr Francis George and KC (B) chairman R. Balakrishna Pillai have been knocking on the doors of LDF, but in vain. Mr P. C. Thomas of NDA is keen on dragging the rest of the KC leaders to the saffron brigade.
“The chances of Mani joining the LDF cannot be ruled out. Mani wants his son, Jose K. Mani, to get a central berth for which he is willing to go to any extent,” said a KC leader.
The original Kerala Congress which was founded by K. M. George in October 1964 has suffered several divisions and undergone many changes.
The then R. Sankar ministry fell because George, who was a Congress leader, and 14 other MLAs had withdrawn their support to the government. Mr Francis George, son of K.M. George, had quit the KC(M) and formed the Janadhipathya Kerala Congress in 2016.
