UDF allies count on ‘Antony’ factor

Thiruvananthapuram: Union Defence Minister A. K. Antony, who will  arrive here on Sunday night, is expected to hold consultations with both Congress leaders as well as allies on the Lok Sabha seats.

Though he is coming  primarily  to attend a few public programmes, the allies will demand more seats during talks with Antony. However, KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala denied that such meetings have  been planned.

Antony is visiting the state  after a long period as he was laid up in Delhi due to prostate surgery and its complications. On Monday, he has  a hectic day with participating in the finale of the year-long 125th anniversary celebrations of Kerala Assembly. Chennithala told DC that discussions on parliamentary seats and candidates will begin officially only after the next UDF meeting on January 3.

“The KPCC has not charted any party programme except laying the foundation stone of K. Karunakaran centre at Nandavanam on Monday evening. Prior to that,  the  KPCC will submit the draft of the manifesto committee report to be included in the AICC’s manifesto,” Chennithala told DC.

“It is to be seen whether Antony will succeed in convincing the allies against having additional seats. If he fails, the Congress will lose one or two seats from the existing 17 Lok Sabha seats,”  said a KPCC general secretary.

The KPCC has called for a meeting of general secretaries and DCC presidents on January 6 to discuss the list of  probable candidates.