Taking a cue from the success of the Bengaluru experiment where it decided to rope in regional parties to challenge the threat of communalism, the Congress and the United Democratic Front leadership has made an all-out attempt to bring back the Kerala Congress (M) into the fold.
Visiting KC(M) chairman K.M. Mani at his residence at Pala on Monday, Congress leaders Oommen Chandy, Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president M.M. Hassan and Indian Union Mulsim League leader P.K. Kunjalikkuty called upon him to support the Congress in the Chengannur byelection. They also asked him to return to the fold.
Panel to take decision
Later, talking to mediapersons, Mr. Chennithala said the KC(M) would take a decision on the bypoll on Tuesday on the basis of the recommendations of the subcommittee formed by the party.
Jose K. Mani, KC(M) vice chairman, told The Hindu that Monday’s visit was an extraordinary one since the entire UDF leadership had arrived to talk to Mr. Mani. “They said the party should take the same position as it had done during the Vengara byelection. Though the support of the KC(M) at Vengara was for the IUML, in effect, it was for the UDF.”
According to him, Mr. Mani replied that the decision relating to Chengannur would be taken on the basis of the recommendations of the subcommittee. However, the issue of returning to the UDF was a policy issue that had to be dealt with differently. Meanwhile, insiders said the KC(M) had found itself in a difficult position of late since none from the LDF had invited it to vote for the coalition or join the Left Democratic Front. Moreover, the cues emanating from the Left had almost made it clear that the LDF does not need KC(M) votes.
In addition, the KC(M) faced stiff opposition internally at the State level and at local level at Chengannur against an LDF tilt.
Three options
At present, the KC(M) has three options on the Chengannur byelections and its future course of action: one, to go with the LDF as it had planned earlier, two, do a volte-face and latch on to the UDF bandwagon, and three, call upon party members for a conscience vote.
Asking party members to vote for someone who had spurned their support would be suicidal for the party at this point, they said. The call for conscience vote, according to one leader, has the potential to cut at the roots of party discipline. As such, many believe that the party does not have many choices, but one option: Go with the UDF.
Under this circumstance, the only thing left appears to be how the party leadership would spell this out without affecting the morale of the party members who have been groomed during the past one-and-a-half years to move to the LDF.
