Kottayam: The Kerala Congress (M) has rejected the overtures from the UDF and also ridiculed the CPI's bid to keep it out of the LDF. KC(M) chairman K.M. Mani on Saturday ruled out the party joining any alliance now, but said the "CPI is lying in the cemetery." He was reacting to CPI state secretary Kanam Rajendran's comment that the "KC(M) was lying in the ventilator" and that the LDF could not accommodate such parties. "The party has an independent stand and there is no change in that now. The party has not discussed with anyone any plan to join the UDF," he told reporters at Pala.
"We will associate with anyone who is willing to accept our views. The KC(M) is not joining any alliance for the time being," he said. Responding to Mr Kanam Rajendran's comment about the party, he said, "the CPI is a party which is lying in the cemetery. Kanam Rajendran is destroying the image of the CPI which was led by many stalwarts earlier. Kanam is opposing the KC (M) out of the fear that the CPI may lose its place in the LDF. "A party which is in the cemetery should not ridicule those in the ventilator," he said.
Political observers feel that the KC (M) may suffer a split if it finally decides to align with the LDF. Many of its top leaders, including working chairman P.J. Joseph and deputy chairman C.F. Thomas, are against the move for fear of spoiling their electoral fortunes. Mr Thomas said that the option of joining the LDF was never discussed in any of the party forums.
A senior KC(M) leader told DC that the natural choice for the KC(M) was the UDF, but Mr Jose K. Mani, MP, was keen to go with the LDF. The CPM leadership has hinted that the ball is in the court of the K(M) and said that it has to make its stand clear. It is said that the recent Vigilance submission in the court that there is no evidence against Mr Mani in the bar bribe case is a signal from the LDF to the KC (M).
The UDF has been trying to woo theKC(M) and senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy had talked to Mr Mani in a bid to pacify him. The Congress leadership wants to prevent Mr Mani from joining the LDF, especially after the exit of the Janata Dal (U) from the UDF. The Congress may try to split the party if the KC (M) opts for the LDF, it is said.
