K M Mani reluctant to return to UDF

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a dramatic move, former chief minister Oommen Chandy, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala and MLA K. Muraleedharan requested KC (M) chairman K.M. Mani to return to the UDF. Mr Mani was happy with the proposal, but declined to return. In an interview to a TV channel, Mr Chandy and Chennithala said that they expected Muslim League leader P.K. Kunhalikutty to facilitate Mr Mani’s return. It should be recalled that the other day after Muslim League leader P.K. Kunhalikutty’s candidature was finalised for the Malappuram byelection, Mr Mani had extended his support to him.

Incidentally, Mr Chandy, Chennithala and Mural-eedharan’s statements come at a time following Mr Mani’s offer to support Muslim League. Mr Chandy said that Kerala Congress has always been considered as an inseparable part of the UDF.
“Mani is a leader who instilled new strength in the UDF. The front longs for his presence. The current issues are temporary and hopes to solve them”, said Chandy.

Mr Chennithala said that the stand taken by Mr Mani in Malappuram showed his intimacy towards the UDF and not all is lost between them. “We want KC (M) to be part of the UDF. In fact, we had not asked them to leave the UDF,” said Mr Chennithala. Mr Mani maintained that he had offered support the Muslim League as they had made a request for the same. He had also said that the support to League should not be interpreted as the support to the UDF.