Striving hard to avoid a flare-up in the Kerala Congress (M) over the change of guard at the Kottayam district panchayat, the Congress appears to have received a temporary relief with the Kerala Congress (M) faction led by P.J. Joseph deferring its plan to move a no-confidence motion against the rival group for a couple of days.
Official sources attributed the deferment to an intervention by senior leader and AICC member Oommen Chandy. Based on a request by the Mani faction, Mr. Chandy urged the rival group to put the motion on hold till Wednesday evening.
While confirming the decision, the Joseph faction leaders also remained hopeful that the Congress, which has a commitment to execute the post-sharing agreement, would extend its unconditional support to the motion.
Last week Mr. Joseph had set a deadline of two days for the incumbent president of the local body — a nominee of the Mani group — to step down from the post.
Reconciliation talk
Meanwhile, a reconciliation talk initiated by Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP-B) leader Shibu Baby John the other day too had failed to reach a breakthrough as the Jose faction stood firm on its stance of not handing over the post to the rival group. Instead, it urged the mediators to wait for the decision of Election Commission of India (ECI) on the ongoing factional dispute while also pointing out that a change of guard in the time of COVID-19 outbreak would create difficulties for public.
At the same time, the faction also expressed its willingness to offer the post to the Joseph group if the UDF wins the local body in the next election.
