Congress, the most important constituent of the UDF, is extremely unhappy about the merger. The reasons for Congress fears are not difficult to understand. Now that the merger has become a reality, Congress apprehends that the KC(M) will be more aggressive in its demands in the future which include more ministerial berths, Rajya Sabha seat and a big increase in the number of seats in the next assembly elections, which are due in May 2011. The Congress is finding it difficult to digest the reality that it is no more in a position to play the big brother - a role which it played to perfection hitherto. The merger has dramatically changed the internal dynamic and equations within the UDF.

The Congress is also upset over the fact that the merger issue was not discussed in the UDF coordination committee. The party is of the view by taking a unilateral decision about the merger, the KC(M) has violated the coalition dharma. The magnitude of the Congress panic can be gauged from the fact that the faction-ridden party displayed a rare unanimity in vehemently opposing the merger of the two Kerala Congress factions.

There is yet another reason why the Congress is wary of the merger move. There are serious allegations of corruption against KC(J) leader P J Joseph. He is also enmeshed in a case over molestation of a woman on board a flight. The induction of such a 'tainted' person into the UDF will tarnish its image, the Congress leaders point out.

As for the Kerala Congress (M), the party is in seventh heaven post merger. The body language of the KC(M) leaders is already showing the new-found confidence. There is a new spring in their walk and a sparkle in their eyes. The swagger has acquired an added edge, much to the dismay of the Congress. They are making no secret of their intent to be more demanding in all matters in the future. The KC(M) is also dismissive of the Congress argument that the merger issue should have been first discussed in the UDF coordination committee. The party leader K. M. Mani has said all along that the merger is an internal issue and the neither the UDF nor the Congress has anything to do with it.

The recent meeting between the Congress and KC(M) leaders to resolve the differences have failed to produce any positive results. But the issue is bound to come up again in the UDF coordination committee meetings in future.

The Indian Union Muslim League, (IUML) another constituent of the UDF has also given up its attempt to play the mediator with both the Congress and the KC(M) refusing to change their basic stand. The IUML also has grave reservations about the merger decision. For once, the party knows jolly well that it will lose the Number two position in the UDF post merger. That is a development it cannot view with equanimity.

Why the tearing hurry for the merger between the KC(M) and the KC(J)? The reason is simple. The KC(M) has been nursing a grievance that senior partner Congress has never given it the respect and status it deserves. The merger is the result of its realisation that the only way the Congress can be forced to change its overbearing attitude is to effect the merger at the earliest.

As regards the KC(J), the party felt there is no future for it in the LDF, which it thinks is sure to lose the electoral battle next year. An early decision to merge the party in the KC(M) will enable it to smoothly effect a switchover from LDF to UDF, which is widely expected to win the next assembly polls. The growing public perception is that there is another reason why the KC(J) was anxious to go in for an early merger: the party was under immense pressure from some anti-LDF bishops to clinch it well in advance of the assembly elections next year.

The merger of the two KC factions took place at a merger conference held at Kottayam on May 27. For the present the merged party will retain the name KC(M). KC(M) chief K M Mani will be the chairman of the party and KC(J) leader Joseph its working chairman. The party will also retain its symbol two leaves though the KC(J) was keen on renaming the new party as just Kerala Congress without any brackets. But fears of legal complications ruled it out.

The exit of the KC(J) represents a set back to the ruling LDF. The LDF's poll prospects could be affected to a big extent in central districts of the state like Idukki, Pathanamthitta, Kottayam, Ernakulam and Alappuzha.

It remains to be seen how the Congress and the KC(M) will compose their differences over the merger issue. If they fail to take corrective action, it could affect the cohesion of the UDF. Whatever the denouement, one thing is clear. Kerala politics will never be the same now after the merger of these two Kerala Congress factions. (IPA)