Analysis | KM Mani no more, blame Chandy for bar bribery scam: CPM's strategy to justify Jose's LDF entry

The entry of the Jose K Mani faction of Kerala Congress (M) to the CPM-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) is almost certain, if political buzz in Kerala is to be believed. Informal talks over the political move with which the Left front eyes to make huge inroads into the Catholic vote bank in central Kerala, according to sources, are almost over. The deal, if materialises, is sure to pose a slew of questions to the LDF over its past stances towards the KC(M) and its late founder K M Mani, especially during the bar bribery scam that left the dirtiest blot on Mani's decades-long political career. What needs to be seen is how the Left front is going to shield itself from the possible criticism about compromising on political integrity for electoral gains. The key to the answer lies in the recent remarks made by some top leaders of the LDF.

Their major argument will be that the bar bribery scam is no more an issue as Mani is no more. LDF convener A Vijayaraghavan has already made such a remark on more than one occasions. Earlier this month, the CPM leader told Manorama News that the circumstances during the bar bribery scam have been changed. “It (the scam) is too irrelevant now,” he said. To a specific question about the violent protest staged by the LDF in the Kerala assembly against Mani presenting the budget, Vijayaraghavan said “it was not against Mani personally, but a part of the protests against the UDF.”

The LDF, according to sources, will also be highlighting the fact that the Vigilance case against Mani was taken during the UDF government's tenure when Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala was the home minister.

The LDF is also trying to put the blame on Congress leader and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy for hatching a conspiracy against Mani. Vijayaraghavan made the allegation first at the Manorama News interview and later reiterated it to a tabloid in Malayalam. In a lengthy interview in the tabloid, he was also quoted as saying that the CPM staged the protests against Mani despite knowing that he was innocent. The leader as well as his party quickly denied saying anything like that and termed the content of the interview 'fake news'. Vijayaraghavan was tight-lipped when Onmanorama contacted him for a clarification on the interview. On the allegation that the bar bribery scam was a creation of Oommen Chandy, Vijayaraghavan said, “everybody knows that”.

CPI leader Kanam Rajendran, who was vehemently opposed to the plans to align with Jose K Mani, has also softened his stance recently. In an interview to Malayala Manorama, he said they were not talking about the scam as sharply as they used to do because Mani is not alive. Kanam, however, made it a point to say that the KC(M) led by Jose K Mani does not wield any considerable influence among the Christian voters as the party headed by Mani used to.

The route is very clear – the LDF will keep mum on the bribery allegations against Mani while painting the late regional leader as a victim of the conspiracy within the UDF. It is learnt that the CPM state leadership has sent out a message to the youth wings to adopt such a stance on discussions on Jose K Mani aligning with LDF. The party also feels that the fact that Mani had severed ties with the UDF following the drubbing of the front in the 2016 assembly polls would give ammo to the LDF's charges.

There is also another line of thinking within the CPM that gives it confidence. The leadership is of the view that the UDF would not question the LDF for luring Jose K Mani to its fold because it would be tantamount to admitting that Mani was corrupt. The Congress, however, seems to have a counter strategy here as is evident from some recent reactions of its senior leaders. Congress leaders would hail the legacy of Mani even as questioning the double standards of the CPM as well as power-hungry Jose K Mani. Congress leaders Onmanorama spoke to said their plan is to keep the confused KC(M) supporters with the UDF.

Soon after Vijayaraghavan's interview became a controversy, senior Congress leaders including Chandy and Chennithala had demanded that the CPM apologise to Mani's family.

“Our strong stance then (during the bribery scam) and now is that Mani was not corrupt. Now, if the LDF is saying that they would not speak about Mani since he is no more, still they are keeping him under the shadow of the allegations,” Congress leader PC Vishnunath told Onmanorama.

For the LDF, bringing Jose K Mani on its side is a political gamble. They are trying to make it possible, despite compromising on political and ideological integrity, on the hope that it would help them capture a sizeable Catholic votes in central Kerala which have always been elusive to the Left.

The Congress, on the other hand, is pinning its hopes on the ideological behaviour of the core voters of the Kerala Congress(M). “They are ultimately anti-Marxists. Even if the leadership wants an alliance with the Left front, the party workers would not vote for the CPM,” a Congress leader said.