KC(M) on verge of split

Political turbulence has hit the Kerala Congress (M) with rumours of P.J. Joseph group breaking away and seeking the status of a separate constituent of the UDF amidst bargaining for the Assembly seats. However, Mr Joseph has denied the reports of his meeting Chief Minister Oommen Chandy in this connection.

Mr Joseph held telephonic discussions with KC(M) chairman K.M. Mani in the evening and assured him that he would not leave the UDF, but said he could not be sure of his two colleagues – Antony Raju and Francis George. Mr Joseph is not in good health to run the party and he wouldn’t block his colleagues from leaving, it is said. A KC(M) leader said that most leaders of the Joseph faction would like to return to the LDF so that they would get seats in the Assembly elections.The dissidents say that Mr Mani has been hit by ‘son-stroke’ and that it will ruin the party. At the farmers’ march held before Parliament on Wednesday, the Joseph faction abstained giving rise to speculation that not all is well within the party.

Mr Francis George and Mr Antony Raju are keen to get Assembly seats. The latter who was a legislator from the then Trivandrum West seat in 2001 is eyeing the Thiruvananthapuram constituency. Mr. Raju had also stood with Mr Mani during the bar scam. Mr Francis George has been demanding Idukki Assembly seat where Mr Mani’s blue-eyed boy Roshy Augustine is the sitting MLA.

KC(M) sources said that both Mr Antony Raju and Mr Francis George are certain to get Thiruvananthapuram and Idukki seats if they part ways with the UDF and join the LDF. Mr Mani is keen to see that Mr Thomas Chazhikadan who was defeated at Ettumanoor constituency gets a safe seat at Kaduthuruthy. Sitting MLA Mons Joseph would be given Ettumanoor. But if the Joseph faction leaves, there won’t be any swapping.