Kottayam: In yet another setback to Jose K Mani, a court in Idukki district on Friday upheld a lower court's order restraining him from officiating and discharging any function as the chairman of the Kerala Congress (M).
The Munsiff court had earlier issued an injunction order preventing Jose Mani from officiating as the chairman of the KC(M). Challenging this, the Jose K Mani faction filed an appeal before the sub-court in Kattappana in Idukki district.
The court dismissed the plea observing there was no need to intervene in the matter at this stage. Rival P J Joseph faction in the KC(M) had secured a stay order from the local court against the election of Rajya Sabha MP Jose K Mani as the party chairman on June 16.
Joseph, the working chairman of the party, had declared the election as invalid and said it was against the party constitution. The Jose K Mani faction had claimed that out of 437 state committee members of the party, 325 attended the meeting which elected the new party chairman.
Hailing the court's decision on Friday, veteran leader Joseph said Jose Mani has no position in the party as he did not agree with its constitution. Joseph said the party will consider accommodating Jose Mani if he comes back after rectifying his mistakes.
Leaders of the Joseph faction said the court has accepted P J Joseph's position as the party's working chairman and as per the party constitution he can handle the role of the chairman since the demise of chairman K M Mani in April this year.
Reacting to the court's decision, Jose Mani said he would consider filing an appeal before a higher court after studying the order. Jose Mani said he was not concerned over the court's decision. The Election Commission would take a decision on which faction is the real KC(M), he said.
Trouble had been brewing in the party following the death of K M Mani, the father of Jose Mani. The party's organisational general secretary Joy Abraham's letter to Chief Election Officer Teeka Ram Meena declaring Joseph as KC(M) chairman after the veteran's death had been opposed by the faction headed by Jose Mani.
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