The Janata Dal (United) [JD(U)] appears to have toughened its political stand even as the United Democratic Front (UDF) leadership is devising ways and means to mollify its disgruntled coalition partner.
Infuriated by sidelining of the party, the district unit of the JD(U) has asked its State president M.P. Veerendrakumar to keep away from inaugurating the UDF regional rally in north Kerala from May 19 to 25.
The UDF has planned four regional rallies in the State. “All these are either led by Congress, Indian Union Muslim League, Revolutionary Socialist Party and Kerala Congress (M) leaders. So why should Mr. Veerendrakumar go for an inauguration. This is to mark our protest. However, our leaders will take part in the rallies,” JD(U) district president Manayath Chandran told The Hindu here on Tuesday.
It is learnt that the UDF leadership was working out a fifth rally possibly in Wayanad and Kozhikode districts to accommodate the JD(U). “But we have not been informed of such a rally. Till then the stalemate will continue,” Mr. Chandran said.
He said the JD(U) had been dissatisfied with the functioning of the UDF right from the seat allocation for the Lok Sabha elections last year.
“We had sought the Vadakara seat. But Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and KPCC president V.M. Sudheeran insisted on the Palakkad seat and had also assured that Mr. Veerendrakumar would emerge victorious from the constituency. Later a deal was also stuck for a Rajya Sabha seat in 2016 in case of a defeat,” he said.
Mr. Chandran said that the UDF leadership had recently rejected JD(U) nominee Rukmini Bhaskaran to the Malabar Devaswom Board and instead nominated an RSP man.
Kozhikode unit asks Veerendrakumar not to open UDF rally
