Jacob group hopeful of cabinet berth after UDF meet

The Kerala Congress (Jacob) state committee which met here on Tuesday has expressed the desire to have the portfolios held by party leader T M Jacob allotted to the newly elected member from Piravom, Anoop Jacob. Speaking to media after the meeting, party chairman Johnny Nellore said that the reported uncertainties about the ministership and portfolio allocation would be over once the UDF liaison committee met on Wednesday.

“ The ministership and the portfolios for the party were decided by the UDF after the last assembly elections. The demise of our leader T M Jacob had created a void,” he said. The Chief Minister who took over the portfolios of Food, Civil Supplies and Registration which Jacob had been holding, but these were later allocated to Mr Shibu Baby John. The decision to this effect was taken after discussing the matter with the party, Mr. Nellore said. “While it was the prerogative of the chief minister to announce the cabinet berth and portfolios, we consider the current change over as a case of Mr Anoop Jacob filling this vacancy with the portfolios being returned to the party,” Mr Nellore said.

The party would give their demands in writing when the UDF meets on Wednesday, he said. “We do not expect any change in the portfolio,” he said and added that the chief minister would make the formal announcement on the issue after the meeting. The party was of opinion that there was no need to mix the ‘fifth cabinet berth for the IUML with the first cabinet berth’ of the KC (Jacob), Mr. Nellore said.

Mr Nellore said the victory at Piravom was a new experience for the UDF as what could be achieved if they could function in total unity.

“Neyyattinkara would not be different if we worked as we have done at Piravom,” he said.

Mr Nellore said the party would not have a ‘Party Leader’ post any more. The post was created under special circumstances exclusively for T M Jacob. Mr Anoop Jacob who is the president of the Kerala Youth Front (Jacob) has been elected legislative party leader of KC (J) at Tuesday’s state committee meeting. Anoop Jacob though not a member of the State committee participated in Tuesday’s session on his being a MLA.

To a question, Mr Nellore said his party has not entrusted the chief whip P C George to make any statement on the party’s behalf.