Stephen George of Kerala Congress-Mani Confirms No Plans to Rejoin UDF
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Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 1 (NationPress) General Secretary of Kerala Congress-Mani (KC-M), Stephen George, made it clear on Sunday that his party will not be rejoining the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). This declaration came in light of media speculation that suggested KC-M might consider leaving the Left Democratic Front (LDF) to return to the UDF.
During a press briefing, the prominent leader stressed the party's commitment to maintaining its credibility with the public, highlighting that the UDF had overlooked the party's 45-year legacy tied to its late founder, K.M. Mani, when they expelled the party.
As of now, party leader Jose K. Mani has not issued any comments regarding these rumors.
George vehemently condemned the media for disseminating misleading information that could harm the party’s reputation.
Recent reports have indicated that KC-M is unhappy with the LDF government, particularly over the perceived disruption of the rubber price stabilisation fund and the Karunya scheme. Some media channels have also mentioned that the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), part of the UDF, along with specific Christian leaders, has initiated discussions about the possibility of KC-M’s return to the UDF.
However, George rejected these claims, asserting that the Kerala Congress-M is pleased with its existing partnership with the LDF, which he believes has been equitable.
He reiterated that there are no intentions of rejoining the UDF.
Meanwhile, senior Congress figure and former Kerala minister Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan expressed hope for the return of all former allies, including KC-M, to the UDF.
The KC-M, which holds considerable sway within the Catholic Christian community, allied with the LDF ahead of the local body elections in December 2020, after being expelled from the UDF due to a conflict during the Kottayam District Panchayat elections. In the 2021 Assembly elections, the party secured five out of the 12 seats it contested. However, Jose K. Mani faced a significant defeat, losing the family stronghold of Pala to incumbent Mani C. Kappan of the Nationalist Congress Party by a margin of 15,378 votes. This loss was particularly impactful as Pala had been represented by K.M. Mani for 49 years, from 1967 to 2016.
Traditionally, the KC-M has been a significant player within the UDF, holding key positions such as Finance and Revenue in Congress-led state cabinets. However, following the death of its founder and chairman, K.M. Mani, in 2019, the party faced an internal power struggle, resulting in a split into two factions - one led by his son Jose Mani and the other by senior leader P.J. Joseph.
The Election Commission ultimately recognized the faction led by Jose K. Mani as the official KC-M. This recognition was challenged by Joseph in court, which led to an interim stay by the Kerala High Court, but the Supreme Court later upheld the Election Commission’s decision.
