The question whether the ruling LDF should take the Kerala Congress (M) into its fold seems likely to be the most important talking point when the State leaders of the CPI(M) and CPI meet next.
The Central leaders of the two parties have decided to leave it to the State leaders to thrash out their differences on the issue. A meeting between the two sides in New Delhi on Thursday, attended by CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, party Polit Bureau member S. Ramachandran Pillai, CPI general secretary S. Sudhakar Reddy and party Central secretariat member D. Raja, could not arrive at any decision given the strong opposition to the CPI(M) move to bring in the KC(M) from the CPI State leadership. Mr. Reddy and Mr. Pillai said the matter would be decided at the State level.
However, CPI State secretary Kanam Rajendran said his party did not see any need to accommodate the KC(M) in the LDF. On whether such a move would not benefit the LDF in the Chengannur byelection, Mr. Rajendran said the LDF had defeated the UDF in the last Assembly elections without the help of the KC(M). “We don’t think that the situation has changed after two years of LDF rule,” he said.
Mr. Rajendran said the CPI(M) was free to invite Mr. Mani over to the LDF, but his party had a different position. The matter, he said, had not been discussed in the LDF. “Let them bring it up and then we will state our position,” he said.
