KOTTAYAM: The various splinter groups of the Kerala Congress are facing an existential crisis with both the LDF and the UDF neglecting them and taking away some of their seats. Their political relevance and future in the state politics are under threat.
The Kerala Congress (Jacob), which contested four seats in the UDF in the last elections, was confined to a single seat this time whereas the Kerala Congress (Scaria Thomas), which was given three seats by the LDF last time, got only one seat this time.
The Kerala Congress (B), which contested two seats when it was in the UDF last time, was given one seat by the LDF with party chairman R. Balakrishna Pillai not getting a seat. Mr P.C. George, the former vice- chairman of the KC (M), who aligned with the LDF, was denied the front’s support in Poonjar and he is now contesting as an independent.
The woes of the KC continued when the former NDA candidate in Pala, Mr P.C. Thomas, withdrew from the contest after declaring his candidature. With both the political fronts taking these splinter groups for granted, they are now planning to unite to recapture their lost significance.
“A polarization of the Kerala Congress will happen with the party members and sympathisers lining up behind the KC(M) in the UDF and the KC(D) in the LDF after the elections,” a top Kerala Congress (D) leader told DC. A major section of the splinter Kerala Congress leaders feels that both the fronts are not interested to accommodate the Kerala Congress groups.
