Thiruvananthapuram: The UDF leadership has decided to keep its doors open for reconciliatory talks with Kerala Congress (Mani) chairman K.M. Mani who had left the front after 34 years last Sunday.
During the crucial UDF meeting at Cantontment House here on Wednesday, Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala said that there would be status quo in the ties between the Congress and KC (M).
UDF sources told this newspaper that Muslim League leader P.K. Kunhalikutty lashed out against the Congress leadership over Mr Mani’s issue. He alleged that the root cause of problems within the UDF has been the internal squabbles in the Congress. Supporting Mr Kunhalikutty, his party general secretary K.P A. Majeed said it is high time the UDF is revamped. He said when some issue crops up within the front, there is no mechanism to have it resolved at the lower level.
“At the local body polls and during the Assembly elections, UDF had worked together for victory. However, the decision to leave the UDF was taken unilaterally by the KC(M). UDF’s decision is to maintain status quo at the local bodies now. If that’s what KC(M) wants to do, UDF will not oppose their decision,” Mr Chennithala said.
Contrary to earlier reports that Mr Chennithala was the ‘villain’ in the rift between Congress and KC(M), he expressed hope that Mr Mani would return.
“The Congress has never taken a superior stand against its allies. We have given equal opportunities to everyone in the UDF. Despite Mr Kunhalikutty being asked to hold talks with Mr Mani, it did not have the desired effect,” Mr Chennithala added.
UDF meeting decided to hold bilateral talks with all the allies. KC (Jacob) chairman Johnny Nellore stayed away from the UDF meeting owing to health reasons. But he told DC that he was peeved with a section of ‘I’ group leaders who claimed on TV debates that the Congress won 22 seats on their own and did not need support of the Kerala Congress.
