Kottayam: In what could turn out to be a game changer for Kerala Congress (M) in central Kerala, the party has reportedly reached an understanding with ruling the CPM led Left Democratic Front (LDF) on sharing 13 seats including Pala for the crucial Assembly polls scheduled to be held early next year.
Kerala Congress (M) is all set take a decision on its future political course at the conference on Friday which will also mark the birth of the new party. However, the political stand to be formalized at the conference will be made public only after the High Court verdict on its electoral symbol "Two leaves" which is expected to be delivered on October 11.
Ahead of the conference, the party steering committee meeting will be held online to discuss the preparations and current political issues. Jose K Mani, chairman of Kerala Congress (M) will explain the circumstances under which the party was forced to leave the Congress led United Democratic Front (UDF). The political stand will be declared next week following which the LDF will formally welcome the Kerala Congress (M).
The final round of discussions between Jose K Mani and LDF Convenor A Vijayaraghavan to finalize one of the most significant political realignments in the state in the recent years, is now over. Besides Pala Assembly constituency, the Kerala Congress (M) is likely to get Kaduthuruthy, Kanjirapally, Poonjar, Changanassery seats in Kottayam district. However, the CPM will not part with Ettumanur Assembly seat from where its prominent leader Suresh Kurup won last time.
In place of Perambra seat in Kozhikode district from where senior CPM leader and Excise Minister T P Ramakrishnan emerged victorious in 2016 Assembly polls , the Kerala Congress is likely to get Kuttiyadi seat. In 2016, the Kerala Congress had contested from Perambra as part of the UDF.
The CPM has also promised another seat to Kerala Congress (M) in place of Irinjalakuda in Thrissur district.
With the Marxists keen to take the electoral fight to the opposition stronghold, they want the Kerala Congress (M) to take on veteran leader P J Jopseph who is also chairman of the rival faction of Kerala Congress aligned to UDF, in his bastion Thodupuzha constituency.
The LDF is willing to part with the Idukki seat which was won by Roshy Augustine. However, the Kerala Congress will spare the Kuttanad seat which was represented by late Thomas Chandy of NCP. With Pala which is currently held by NCP being given to Kerala Congress, the CPM is not willing to take away another seat from Sharad Pawar's party.
The LDF is also willing to leave a seat each for Kerala Congress (M) in Pathanamthitta and Kollam districts respectively. The seat sharing formula will be worked out later. No seat has been allotted to the party in Thiruvananthapuram district at least for now.
Interestingly no discussions were held on the demand that if Pala Assembly seat is given to Kerala Congress (M) then Jose K Mani will have to resign from Rajya Sabha to accommodate NCP's Mani C Kappan who is the sitting MLA.
But working out the seat sharing formula is not going to be an easy task for the CPM. While the NCP and CPI are not quite keen on leaving Pala and Kanjirapally Assembly seats, the CPM leadership is confident of resolving the issue through bilateral discussions with the alliance partners. This has been conveyed to Kerala Congress (M).
Seat adjustments for local body polls
The Kerala Congress (M) and LDF also decided that the seat sharing for the local bodies’ elections to be held in November, will be discussed and finalized at the local level. The Kerala Congress (M) has handed over a list of wards that the party wants to contest in Kottayam , Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts respectively. The Kerala Congress had contested the 2015 local bodies poll as a constituent of the then ruling front UDF.
The Kerala Congress (M) has demanded all seats contested by the party in 2015 besides 50 per cent of the seats won by Congress and other UDF constituents. After the merger with the P J Joseph faction the UDF had given 15 seats to the Kerala Congress (M).
