The carefully choreographed political overtures to the Left Democratic Front (LDF) by the Kerala Congress (M) appears to have hit a roadblock as conflicting opinions emerged on lending an open support to the front in the byelection at Chengannur at a meeting of the party's steering committee held here on Friday.
The meeting was expected to come up with the party's stance in the ensuing byelection in the Chengannur Assembly segment. Instead, it decided to entrust a nine-member subcommittee consisting of all MLAs, MPs, and party treasurer to make their recommendation on the issue.
Briefing mediapersons after the meeting, party chairman K.M. Mani said the ‘‘expert committee’’ would submit its report within a few days and the party would base its decision on the opinion of the committee.
There were more than one opinion in the party and it was a good sign, he said. But it should not be dubbed as division in the party, he said.
Reacting to a question, he said KC(M) had been approached by all coalitions seeking support. The subcommittee would take such issues also into consideration while making its recommendations, he said.
Meanwhile, there were attempts to steer the party on the lines taken by it at the Charalkunnu camp when it decided to part ways with the UDF. Even during the byelection in Malappuram, the Congress leadership had rejected the support extended by the KC(M) to the IUML, he reminded the members.
However, this was opposed by a section of the members who said there was no need to extend an open support to the LDF at this juncture.
According to an insider, there was no need to take a stance so early, especially in a byelection where the final outcome was unpredictable so far. A wrong step at this moment could put the future of the party in jeopardy, he said.
Giving a clear indication that the party was trying to buy time before making a final declaration, he said there was more than one way to announce the stance without harming it, whatever be the outcome at the byelection.
“He (Mr. Mani) said ‘a few days;’ it can be one week or more. It’s only May 11 now. We have enough time to make up our mind,” he said.
