While the group owing allegiance to KC(M) chief K M Mani and his son Jose K Mani favours a tie-up with the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF), the rival faction headed by P J Joseph prefers to return to the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) which it had left sometime back.

The sharp divergence on the issue saw the party’s Mahasammelan, held recently at Kottayam, deferring a decision till March next year. At the conference party leaders came to an understanding that the issue will first be discussed at the next meeting of the high-powered committee of the party and an official announcement made in March.

However, the three-day Mahasammelan betrayed clear signs of the KC(M)’s leaning towards the LDF. But an open discussion was avoided to avert the possibility of a confrontation between the rival factions. The politically sensitive issue was avoided and, instead, the conference discussed only the draft of the party’s agricultural policy! The conference did so following the intervention of chief K M Mani. The pro-UDF Joseph faction, which had originally planned to press for a discussion on the alliance issue, also kept mum.

Be that as it may, there are strong reasons why the Jose K Mani faction prefers an alliance with the LDF. Mani’s son, who is the Lok Sabha MP from Kottayam, is keen on contesting from the seat again in 2019. He is betraying his left-leaning, having burnt the bridges with the UDF. Both Mani and his son strongly criticized the UDF in general and the Congress in particular for ‘backstabbing’ the KC(M). “We are at peace now. We did not go after any front asking to take us in,” Mani said while talking to reporters after the Mahasammelan.

But Mani also made no secret of his ‘soft corner’ for Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. His reasoning: Vijayan spoke less and never hurt people through his words. Nor has he backstabbed the KC(M)!

Also, it is clear that the KC(M) cannot depend on the support of the UDF in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections. The Congress, especially the Kottayam unit of the party, is vehemently opposed to Mani-Jose K Mani duo for its backing of the CPI(M) in a few panchayats in the district. It may be mentioned that in one panchayat, the Congress lost the panchayat chief’s post as the KC(M) sided with the CPI(M)!

The Mani faction also believes that the UDF has weakened considerably after its debacle in the Assembly elections. The UDF, the faction feels, is simply not in a position to ensure the victory of Jose K Mani in the next Lok Sabha elections from the Kottayam constituency. Hence, the preference for the LDF, which has sizable influence in Kottayam.

The Mahasammelan also saw KM Mani ruling out a generational change in the leadership. The issue was not on the agenda, averred Mani, adding that the party now had a collective leadership. The reason why Mani avoided a discussion on the issue is clear: there is strong opposition in the party to the projection of Jose K Mani as the party’s next chief. The PJ Joseph faction has not minced words about its strong feelings on the issue. And, if Mani goes ahead with his desire to make his son the next chief of the party, the possibility of the Joseph faction leaving the party cannot be ruled out. That explains the reluctance to discuss the issue at the Kottayam conference.

Moreover, the KC(M)’s wish to be inducted into the LDF faces a major hurdle. The CPI, which is the second largest constituent of the LDF, is in no mood to accommodate the KC(M). The party’s stand on the matter is unambiguous: there is no question of welcoming Mani, who is under a corruption cloud over the infamous bar bribery scam. CPI state secretary has once again reiterated the party’s strong opposition to inducting the KC(M) into the LDF, making it difficult for the CPI(M), which is keen on having Mani join the LDF camp, to take a decision in the matter. (IPA Service)