THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The 'I' group and its leader Ramesh Chennithala who wanted to let K.C. (M) chief K. M. Mani leave UDF are forced to soften their stand with the other allies keen to see Mr Mani returning. KC (J) head Johnny Nellore told DC that a united Kerala Congress could help the UDF surge back to power which only Mani can take the initiative. When the solar and bar scams had created a serious dent in the image of the UDF government, Mr Chennithala and his group leaders were keen to dissociate with Mr Mani.
But neither the ‘A’ group leaders nor the UDF leadership dared to touch him until the court’s observation came against him which saw him stepping down. “Majority of the Congress leaders are upset with Mani leaving the UDF. Kerala Congress is not in central Travancore alone. Chandy knows well that his trusted lieutenant K. C. Joseph managed to win from Irikkoor and Sunny Joseph from Peravoor in Kannur district only due to the help of KC (M),” said a UDF leader.
Mr Mani’s major grouse against Mr Chennithala is that when there is only hearsay evidence against him accepting a bribe, he was included in the bar scam. But when bar owner Biju Ramesh maintained that he directly gave bribed then excise minister K. Babu, he was acquitted. Similarly, Chennithala and his trusted lieutenant and the then health minister V. S. Sivakumar were also allowed to go scot free.
A majority of the UDF leaders feel that Mr Chennithala can never reach the range Mr Chandy. But at the same time, there is a section of leaders in the Congress targeting Mr Chandy as they fear that he is trying to portray Mr Chennithala in a bad light. “Chances of Mr Chandy targeting Mr Chennithala cannot be ruled out as he fears that the latter is projecting himself as the next CM. So we feel that Mr Chandy is targeting him,” said an ‘I’ group leader.
