THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior Congress leader A. K. Antony has reiterated that the party had lost its mass base in Kerala due to infighting. The UDF would discuss bringing back Kerala Congress (M) to the front in the next UDF meeting to be held on September 1, he told reporters here on Monday. Mr Antony had said in Kochi on Saturday that holding group meetings and then taking photographs showing camaraderie among the leaders will not keep the party united.
It was for the first time that Mr Antony spoke on behalf of the Congress high command about Mr Mani's exit from the UDF. IUML leader E. T. Mohammed Basheer had said on Sunday that they will not mediate in Mr Mani's issue. "The KPCC leadership has distanced itself from Mani. Chennithala snubs Mani openly. Antony is trying to appease Mani as per the decision taken by the AICC leadership," said a UDF leader.
Another leader said that the Congress leadership was concerned about Mr Mani joining the saffron brigade and wish to prevent it. "The top Congress leaders want that democratic parties should not disintegrate and that there should not be animosity among them. They are for keeping the status quo," said another leader. A section of Congress leaders feels that the KPCC leadership has sidelined the high-power committee appointed by the AICC leadership for the party revamp.
While party vice-president Rahul Gandhi had appointed only a 12-member committee in Karnataka PCC, here the leaders are trying to rope in 15 - 20 people. "The faction leaders are keen to promote their respective groups by squeezing in as many leaders as possible," said a Congress leader. Meanwhile, former chief minister Oommen Chandy and Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala will leave for New Delhi on Tuesday to hold talks with Mr Rahul Gandhi on the party revamp.
