UDF expels Jose K Mani's Kerala Congress (M) faction

Kerala Congress (M) faction led by Jose K Mani has been expelled from the United Democratic Front. The expulsion comes as a result of tussles between Jose K Mani faction and PJ Joseph faction over the post of the Kottayam District Panchayath President, four months ahead of the local body elections and the 2021 Assembly polls.

Trivandrum (Kerala):Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) alliance in Kerala has expelled the Kerala Congress (M) faction, led by Jose K Mani, here on Monday. However, the PJ Joseph faction remains within the UDF.

The expulsion comes as a result of the long-drawn tussles and arguments between both the factions over the post of the Kottayam District Panchayath president. As per an earlier agreement within the UDF, the Kottayam District President position was to be shared by both the factions: 8 months for the Jose K Mani faction and 6 months for the PJ Joseph faction. However, when the Jose faction candidate in the position refused to step down as agreed upon, the UDF leadership was forced to make the tough decision of expelling the faction altogether from the alliance.

Congress, Muslim League and Jose faction held a detailed discussion over the issue. The UDF leadership had then asked the Jose faction to honour with the existing agreement. However, Jose K Mani group refused to accept the directions and denied the pact.

Read:|Wrong candidates, factional fights cost UDF 'dearly' in Kerala by-polls: Cong leader Chacko

Following this, UDF convenor Benny Behanan said that the Jose K Mani faction does not deserve to continue in the alliance.

The expelled faction will not be let to participate in alliance meetings and leadership meetings hereafter. Though attempts were made to settle the problem within the alliance, the Jose K Mani faction publicly maintained that there is no such agreement. This stand by the faction could not be accepted. Profit or loss have not been weighed on this decision, the UDF Convenor said.

The ouster comes when it is just 4 months left for the local body elections and the assembly polls in 2021. The final decision on this will be taken at the UDF leaders online meeting on Wednesday, through video conferencing. Jose K Mani will not be allowed to participate in this meeting. Benny Behanan said that it will only be considered if they honour the coalition’s decision.

Meanwhile, Jose K Mani reacted emotionally to the decision. He said that the coalition has expelled his father the late K M Mani himself.

"The UDF has now kept aside a man who had worked for and protected the UDF for 38 years through his politics. The decision is plain selective injustice. There is a conscious political agenda behind the expulsion," Jose K Mani said.

He said that he came to know of the decision only through the media.

The further political stance would be decided in the steering committee meeting of the party on Tuesday, said Jose K Mani, addressing the media after the expulsion at Kottayam.

Read:|UDF stages protest in Kerala assembly