A day after the Congress announced its plan to strengthen the United Democratic Front (UDF) by drawing disgruntled elements from the rival camp, the Kerala Congress (KC), its key ally, sought to take ‘a keen, but cautious’ approach to the proposal.
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KC chairman P.J. Joseph told mediapersons on Monday that the matter was yet to be discussed within the coalition. “What the Congress said might be their plan though my party too will welcome anyone willing to join the UDF,” he said.
‘Switching sides’
To a query on whether the proposal would also include the Kerala Congress (M) led by Jose K. Mani, his arch rival, Mr. Joseph replied that he was unsure whether the KC(M) was disgruntled with the Left LDF. “What the Congress proposes is not to take back those who ditched the UDF but those who are disgruntled within the LDF,” he said, in an apparent reference to the switching of sides by the KC(M) led by Mr. Mani.
With reports coming in that the Congress plan also targeted the KC(M), the proposal appears to have not gone down well within the party led by Mr. Joseph. Besides Mr. Joseph, a handful of other leaders from his party also came out in the open against the move.