 "Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar with alliance leaders of the UDF waves to the crowd at an election campaign meeting in Kozhikode, Kerala")
Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala, already reeling under the impact of the recent Assembly election debacle, seems to be heading for more trouble with one of its key partners, Kerala Congress (M) (KC(M)), on Saturday indicating its intent to desert the Opposition front.
Former finance minister K M Mani-led KC(M), at loggerheads with the Congress since the past few months over the bar bribery scam, hit out at the party saying that it had received only "insults" and "humiliations" from it and would maintain "equidistance" from the UDF and the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF).
"We have received only insults and humiliations from Congress. Mutual help and trust among parties in the Front has waned in the recent days," said 82-year old Mani, who was forced to resign from the ministry last year over the bar bribery scam.
A defiant Mani came out in full blast against the Congress at a two-day crucial meeting of the party at Charalkunnu in Pathanamthitta district, where the party leaders would take a final decision on Sunday on its future course of action.
KC(M), the third largest partner in the UDF, has been part of the front for the last three decades and has six MLAs and one MP, Jose K Mani, son of Mani.
Saturday's meeting assumes significance as it was held in the background of the reported decision of party leaders to 'sit as a separate block' in the state Assembly.
Apparently hinting that it was eyeing the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) camp, Mani said, "if a good path opens before us, we will tread that path."
However, the party in a statement later refuted suggestions that it was heading towards the National Democratic Alliance (NDA).
BJP state President Kummanam Rajasekharan said that the doors of NDA were always open to those coming out of UDF or LDF.
"However, KC(M) has to clearly spell out its political stand first. Then we will discuss the political situation," he said.
KC(M), which has a history of switching fronts and suffering many splits since its inception in 1964, has a strong base in the central Travancore belt, especially among Christians.
The rift in relations between Congress and KC(M) came to fore after Mani announced he would keep away from a crucial UDF leaders liaison committee meeting last month, forcing the front to postpone it.
Subsequently, Congress had deputed former chief minister Oommen Chandy to hold talks with Mani to iron out differences.
Though Chandy met Mani he failed to get any assurance from the KC(M) leader, who maintained that the "party will take a final call on all matters at its Charalkunnu meeting".
Reacting cautiously to the developments, Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President V M Sudheeran said, "Let KC-M make its stand clear. It is not proper to make any comments at this stage."
Attacking both the LDF and UDF, Mani said that KC(M) was strong enough to stand alone politically.
Reacting to Congress leaders' remark that KC(M) MLAs have to resign if the party leaves the front as they fought in alliance with UDF, Mani said Congress candidates had also won the polls with the votes of KC(M).
Communist Party of India (Marxist) State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said, "We have not thought of taking KC(M) in the LDF now. Taking that party into LDF is presently not an agenda before the LDF."
There were many parties supporting the LDF from outside. Taking them into the front has not been discussed so far, he said in Palakkad.
He also said it would be a 'political suicide' for KC(M) if it moves to the NDA camp.
Opposition leader and former KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala said none can think that they can "browbeat" the Congress.
"Congress is prepared to resolve the complaints which are justified. The party, leading the UDF, is trying to take all the front partners together," Chennithala said in Palakkad.
The relations between the KC(M) and Congress over the bar bribery scam worsened recently after Congress leaders Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala attended the betrothal ceremony of the daughter of controversial hotelier Biju Ramesh with the son of Congress leader and former minister Adoor Prakash.
Biju Ramesh, working President of Kerala State Bar Hotel Owners Association, had levelled bribery charges against Mani, which finally led to his resignation in November last year.
KC(M) has maintained that a "conspiracy" was behind the scam.
