Oommen Chandy to lead KM Mani ghar wapsi

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress has started making overtures to the Kerala Congress (M) in a bid to bring it back to the UDF fold ahead of the Lok Sabha polls in 2019. This was evident in the way in which former chief minister Oommen Chandy shared the dais with KC(M) leader K.M. Mani   at a function  in Kottayam on Friday.

The Muslim League leaders also want to woo the KC(M) and the KPCC has left the job to Mr Chandy rather than burdening Opposition Leader  Ramesh Chennithala, who is under attack for his lacklustre performance.

A section of Congress leaders was ill at ease when  Mr Chandy rubbed  shoulders with Mr Mani in  Kottayam. This  move was not discussed in the party forums. There was no need to befriend Mr Mani as he had spoiled the UDF prospects in the   2016 Assembly elections, they said.

When the KC(M)  wrested control of Kottayam district panchayat with LDF support, the Congress and the UDF  had termed it as “political betrayal.”  The high-power Political Affairs Committee had said in a resolution that all  ties with the KC (M) had been  severed.

“How can the Congress leadership forget what had happened? This is a move by the respective leaders to gain 2000 – 3000 votes in  the Lok Sabha elections,”  said a KPCC office-bearer.

Most of the Congress leaders belonging to Ernakulam, Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Idukki and Alappuzha are against  cosying up to Mr Mani. The Congress workers in Kottayam district had celebrated Mr Mani’s exit from the UDF.

An  MLA from Kottayam said,  “there are no permanent friends or enemies  in politics.”   After the UDF meeting on Thursday, Mr Chennithala had informed that the KC (M) may support the Muslim League candidate in Vengara by-poll scheduled for  October  11.

“Chennithala wanted to show that he has an upper hand in the UDF. But he got a rude jolt when Chandy met Mani, though Mr Mani said that nothing much should  be read into meeting,”  a UDF leader told DC.

Camaraderie hints at reunion

Kerala Congress (M) chairman K.M. Mani has thrown open the possibility of his party rejoining the UDF before the Lok Sabha elections in 2019. This was clear from the pleasantries exchanged between  Mr Mani and former chief minister Oommen Chandy at a  meeting held here on Friday when  Mr   Chandy invited him to come back to the UDF.  

Mr Mani said at the  meeting, which  was organised by Kottayam MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan on a river-linking project, that       he and  Chandy  were  good rowers.  Mr Chandy replied,  “in that case we should row together in the same boat.”  To this, Mr Mani said,   “let us see the course of the wind.”

Though Mr Mani  said that he would not join any front, observers feel that he was trying to increase his bargaining power.  Earlier, he had given the same answer to the queries on his party joining the NDA  and the LDF.

Mr Mani  and a few other MLAs may be  interested to join the UDF, but KC(M) vice- chairman Jose K. Mani, MP, is firm on not returning to the UDF.

He is aggrieved over the insult meted out to the KC(M)  by the  UDF camp and he fears that the Congress workers would not vote for him in the next Lok Sabha elections.

Mr Mani told reporters on Saturday that his  comments on  Friday that we will  ‘row together’ was   meant as a joke.  He said that he did not have any special interest or disinterest towards any front, creating further confusion over his future moves.