Now that the UDF sub-committee, which probed the defeat of JD(U) leader M. P. Veerendra Kumar from Palakkad constituency in the Lok Sabha elections, has submitted its report recommending action against three local Congress leaders who were found to be responsible for the defeat, the KPCC chief and the CM find themselves in a tight spot.

Action against these leaders was the main demand of the JD(U), failing which the party may quit the front and cross over to the CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front(LDF).

The sub-committee has squarely blamed Palakkad DCC president, C. V. Balachandran, DCC secretary, P. Balagopal and KPCC secretary C. Chandran for the humiliating loss Veerendra Kumar suffered in the election. It may be mentioned that the report was published only after the JD(U) toughened its stance on the issue.

Although the report has not specified the kind of action to be taken against the ‘guilty’ leaders, it is evident that the Congress cannot get away by issuing mere warnings to the trio.

Be that as it may, it is not easy for the Congress to take strong action either. The reason: there is resentment in the Palakkad district committee over the report prepared by the sub-committee headed by Kerala Congress(B) chief R. Balakrishna Pillai.

Palakkad Congress leaders allege that the report was prepared in a hurry without taking into account the ground realities. They were not even given a proper hearing by Pillai, these leaders alleged. And speculation is rife that the DCC president whose name figures in the list of the ‘guilty threesome’ is in a mood to quit his post should the party leadership take action.

In view of the strong undercurrent of hostility, it would not be easy for the KPCC president to take action. Refusal to take action could lead to the exit of the JD(U) from the Front – a luxury the UDF cannot afford because of the proximity of the local bodies elections in September-October, and the more crucial Assembly elections due in May 2016. . How the Congress leadership will untie the JD(U) knot is being watched with keen interest.

Meanwhile, JD(U) leader Veerendra Kumar has put more pressure on the UDF leadership by having a meeting with leader of the Opposition, V. S. Achuthanandan. VS is learnt to have told Kumar that he should leave the UDF and join the LDF at the earliest.

As if this was not enough Kumar has also declared his intent to participate in a seminar on communal fascism organized by the Kelu Ettan Padana Gaveshana Kendram, an institution run by the Kozhikode district committee of the CPI(M). Kumar said there was nothing wrong in his participating in the seminar as the JD(U) believes in making use of all platforms for fighting the forces of communalism. (IPA Service)