Amidst efforts by the United Democratic Front (UDF) to broker peace, the stage is set for another round of fireworks within the Kerala Congress (M) with the warring factions kick-starting efforts to fight the upcoming local body elections on their own. The KC(M) faction led by Jose K. Mani has now approached the State Election Commission (SEC) seeking to continue with a decision made by the late party chairman K.M. Mani enabling district presidents to allot the symbol and give whip to candidates contesting to local bodies.
Unilateral steps
The petition, submitted by N. Jayaraj, MLA, sought the SEC not to consider the ‘unilateral steps initiated by working chairman P.J. Joseph in violation of this decision’ till the Election Commission of India adjudicated the dispute on the symbol. Along side Mr. Mani, Thomas Chazhikadan, MP, legislators N. Jayaraj and Roshy Augustine too signed the memorandum.
The latest move followed the inability of the candidates fielded by the Mani faction to contest on the party symbol, the ubiquitous `two leaves’.
Earlier in July last year, Mr. Joseph, in his capacity as party's acting chairman, intimated the SEC that he had withdrawn the power delegated to the party district presidents.
“The action of Mr. Joseph will have a bearing on the prospects of the Mani faction as long as it stands by the name KC(M). Hence, its has made this move to pre-empt an embarrassing situation during the election eve,’’ pointed out a senior party leader.
At the Akalakkunnam grama panchayat where a byelection took place recently, the candidates from both factions had sought for the party symbol. George Myladi, a nominee of the Mani faction, had presented the letter of KC(M) district president Sunny Thekkedam for the symbol, where as his rival Vipin Thomas Anikkal had filed his papers along with Mr. Joseph’s letter. The SEC, however, made a final decision in favour of the Joseph faction.
