KOTTAYAM/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The top leaders of the UDF met Kerala Congress (M) chairman K. M. Mani at his residence in Pala seeking support for Chengannur by election. Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, IUML national general secretary P. K. Kunhalikutty, MP, KPCC president M. M. Hassan and Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala met Mani and his son Jose K. Mani MP on Monday evening.
The UDF leaders were happy to see Jose K. Mani at Mani’s Pala house. It should be recalled that Jose K. Mani was keen on joining the Left camp which had created mixed feelings among the party workers. A top KC (M) leader told DC that Monday’s crucial meeting was a “planned meeting” which lasted for close to one and a half hours. “The meeting was initiated by Oommen Chandy and executed by Kunhalikutty. Mani was upset with the humiliating treatment being meted out to him by the LDF. So when the top team of the UDF visited Mani and sought KC (M)’s support in Chengannur by-election, he passed the buck before the nine member expert committee”, said a top KC (M) leader.
Mani had appointed a nine member committee comprising of MLA’s, MP’s and party treasurer to take a decision on Chengannur on May 11. Though a call was to be taken in two days, it was delayed. Finally, Mani was forced to commit to an expert committee meeting on Tuesday.“As a precursor to taking the decision a meeting of the KC (M) expert committee will take place here on Tuesday at 10am. A decision will be taken whether to support the UDF candidate at Chengannur or not”, said Mani.
Earlier, there were reports that Mani had sidelined Chennithala from offering a handshake to him when the UDF leaders entered his house But sources close to Mani told DC that it was unintentional and the controversy was unwarranted. Mani had issues with Chennithala when the bar scam had snowballed in to a major controversy. The veteran KC (M) leader had maintained that Chennithala who was the then Home minister had defended initiating the FIR against Mani in the bar scam which resulted in the UDF Government getting trounced in the 2016 Assembly elections. P. J. Joseph expressed his happiness at the latest turn of events while talking to reporters in Thodupuzha.
