Congress may keep CM options open in Kerala

‘With BJP in poll fray, the Congress would try to keep its options open to entice different communities’.

The political heat keeps rising in the Pala constituency after NCP’S Mani C. Kappan left the Left Democratic Alliance and decided to face Kerala Congress (Mani) chairman Jose K Mani. Pala constituency was known to be the stronghold of KCM, a party that was founded by Jose K. Mani’s father K.M. Mani.

Political analysts believe though Kappan would give a tough fight to Jose K. Mani during the upcoming Assembly elections, it is worthy to note the declining influence of Jose K. Mani in the Pala constituency, the Assembly seat which was represented by his father for 12 terms in the last 50 years.

N.M. Pearson, a political analyst, told The Sunday Guardian, “With Mani C. Kappan coming to Congressled United Democratic Front (UDF), the UDF will be able to give tough fight at Pala. Kappan does have a good relationship with the voters in the Pala and that may help him to give a tough fight against Jose K. Mani in the upcoming elections.”

J. Prabhash, political commentators, told The Sunday Guardian, “In the 2019 byelection, Kappan defeated the UDF candidate Jose

Tom Pulikkunnel by a big margin. Even after Jose K. Mani being in Pala, Kappan was able to pull it off in the last election. This raises questions on Jose K. Mani’s influence in the constituency and his political viability in the area and in Kerala. This also raises questions about LDF’S decision to make him join the LDF. On what merits and abilities, he was inducted into the LDF, remains a big question that LDF has to find an answer to.”

Talking about the Congress chief ministerial candidate for the next Assembly elections, political analysts said that with the electoral in the last local body polls, the Congress would keep CM candidate options open. Pearson told The Sunday Guardian, “It is early to decide on CM candidate for the Congress. In order to entice the Nair community in Kerala, Congress may announce current leader of Opposition Ramesh Chennithala.” It must be noted that some bishops from Kerala had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi a couple of weeks ago. Prabhash told The Sunday Guardian, “The Congress may keep its options open for the CM candidate. With the BJP in the fray in the current elections, the Congress would try to keep its options open to entice different communities.”