Ahead of the May 28 Chengannur Assembly by-election, Kerala Congress (Mani) chief K.M. Mani on Friday said a decision on his party's support to one of the three fronts in Kerala will be taken within a week.
Given that Mani's party has a support base of around 5,000 voters, his support is crucial.
Last year, Mani's party severed ties with the Congress-led United Democratic Front after close to four decades. His party's six legislators sit as a separate block in the Assembly.
Apart from the UDF, leaders of the Bharatiya Janata Party and Communist Party of India-Marxist-led Left Democratic Front have met Mani to seek his party's support.
"A final decision will come in a week's time," Mani told reporters.
CPI-M legislator K.K. Ramachandran Nair's death in January 2016 necessitated the bye-election to the seat. Counting of votes will take place on May 31.
Chengannur was a Congress citadel for close to three decades until Nair broke through in 2016.
In 2016, Nair secured 52,880 votes while two-time Congress legislator P.C. Vishnunath got 44,987; BJP's P. Sreedharan Pillai came a close third with 42,682 votes.
Pillai is again in the fray whereas the CPI-M has fielded Alappuzha District Secretary Saji Cherian. The Congress has fielded D. Vijayakumar.
--IANS
sg/tsb/mr
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content
