KOTTAYAM: The P.J. Joseph faction in the Kerala Congress (M) has lost considerable clout in the party with its prominent leaders, including Mr Francis George, quitting and forming the Democratic Kerala Congress.
The bargaining power of Mr Joseph with Mr K.M. Mani and the UDF has been substantially reduced and his voice has become feeble politically, according to sources.
Among the loyalists of Mr Mani who joined the new outfit are former MLA Mathew Stephen, Mr Baby Pathipally and Mr Stephen Chamamparampil. The rest of Mr Mani’s support group is intact.
A sizeable number of the state committee members of the Joseph group attended the dissidents’ meeting in Kochi on Wednesday, it was claimed.
“According to our information, at least 326 state committee members who were in the undivided KC (M) were present at the meeting. Though the majority were from the P.J. Joseph faction, there were also members from the Mani group,” said Dr K.C. Joseph, one of the dissident leaders.
However, Kerala Congress (M) general secretary Joy Abraham MP denied the claims of Dr K.C. Joseph. “They are exaggerating the numbers,” he told Deccan Chronicle.
The P.J. Joseph faction also denied that its position has been weakened in the KC(M). “The Kerala Congress will survive the departure of some of its leaders and members. However, the majority are with the party in every district,” Kaduthuruthy MLA and prominent Joseph group leader Mons Joseph told Deccan Chronicle. He denied speculations that the P.J. Joseph faction would join the dissidents soon.
