State secretary of the Communist Party of India, Kanam Rajendran, on Sunday said the entry of the Jose. K. Mani faction of the KC(M) into the LDF was not a given.
Mr Rajendran's public stance appeared to contradict widespread speculation that the CPI(M) seemed inclined to admit Mr Mani into the LDF fold.
He made it abundantly clear that the CPI would distance itself from any move to accommodate Mr. Mani in the ruling front. “Social distancing is the need of the hour,” he told reporters here.
The LDF would return to power in the next Assembly elections. It would dominate the local body polls. The coalition did not require the help of ‘people who come and go.’ The LDF should not take any decision that could squander away its immense political advantage, Mr. Rajendran said.
Mr Mani, who was told to keep away from leadership meetings of the United Democratic Front (UDF), was still a member of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) at the Centre.
Mr. Mani has not abandoned the Opposition alliance. He was negotiating with three fronts (LDF, the UDF and the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Front) at the same time. He still held on the Rajya Sabha seat given to him by the UDF, Mr. Rajendran said.
Legislators supposedly allied to the KC (M) Mani faction had won on UDF tickets.
“He (Mr Mani) is dangling the Rajya Sabha and Assembly seats before everybody to strike a politically advantageous bargain,” he said.
Ideally, Mr. Mani should give up the MP and MLA seats before exploring his chances with the LDF. He should take a cue from the example set by late M. P. Veerendra Kumar of the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD). Veerendra Kumar had joined the LDF in 2018 after resigning the Rajya Sabha seat he had won on a UDF ticket, he said. The CPI was open to any accommodation without forsaking its guiding principles and the common political programme of the LDF. When pressed whether the CPI would capitulate to the CPI(M) and agree to induct Mr Mani into the LDF, Mr. Rajendran said the party did not have such a track record. He said that in 2017 a Minister (Thomas Chandy of the NCP) had to resign after CPI Ministers refused to sit in the meeting with him.
“Where has the CPI capitulated?” Mr. Rajendran asked.
