Mathew T Thomas spurns talk of joining M P Veeran party

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Water Resources Minister Mathew T. Thomas on Saturday said there was no question of joining M. P. Veerendrakumar's party. The minister who is also the state president of JD(S) said Mr Veerendrakumar was welcome to join his party. He rejected Mr Veerendrakumar's request that the state unit snap ties with JD(S) national leadership. "There is no difference of opinion on the issue within our party," he added. Meanwhile, Mr Veerendrakumar's move to join LDF received further setback with six more district committees backing the stand taken by Kozhikode and Kannur units against leaving the UDF. The matter will come up for discussions at the state committee meeting of the party to be held on December 17.

The meeting will be decisive in chalking out the future course of Mr Veerendrakumar's party. So far, the JDU leader has not publicly criticised the UDF leadership or threatened to quit the front. However, those close to him say that both father and son M. V. Shreyams Kumar have made up their mind to join LDF. With eight district committees opposing Mr Veerendrankumar, the veteran might find it difficult to execute his plan to be part of the ruing LDF.

After Kozhikode and Kannur, now district units of Kasargod, Idukki, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Kollam and  Thiruvananthpuram  also refusing to leave UDF, the JDU leader is facing a major crisis within his own party. The district committees are set to express their views against leaving UDF at the forthcoming state committee meeting.  The extended meeting will be attended by national council members, district presidents and special invitees.