Kottayam: The United Democratic Front (UDF) which is seeking to return to power in Kerala is set to finish the allocation of constituencies among its constituent parties ahead of the April 6 Legislative Assembly election.
In Kottayam district the Congress party is likely to contest on five seats, while leaving three to Kerala Congress (Joseph). The other assembly seat of Pala has been already assured to the newbie party Nationalist Congress Kerala of legislator Mani C Kappan.
In all there are 9 assembly seats in the district which is part of the Central Travancore region.
The likely allocations
The Congress leadership has put forward a new formula before Joseph under which the two parties will spare a seat each.
Out of Poonjar, Changanacherry, Kanjirapally and Ettumanoor seats Congress has the option of contesting on two seats.
An agreement has been reached over Kanjirapally, though it is not known yet which among the two parties will take it. Poonjar would most likely go to the Kerala Congress (Joseph).
The Congress has also suggested that the two parties may contest on either Changanacherry or Ettumanoor seats.
Joseph had earlier informed the UDF leadership that his party had an emotional attachment with Changanacherry as it was represented by the late C F Thomas for nearly four decades. But his party is reportedly reluctant to spare Ettumanoor too where it has considerable influence. Congress leadership has responded that it is up to the Joseph group as to which seat - Changanacherry or Ettumanoor - they would like to spare.
The Joseph group had demanded that with the exit of Kerala Congress (Mani) party from the UDF all the five seats that the latter used to contest from in Kottayam district should be granted to it. But the Congress district leadership dismissed this demand as unreasonable and insisted it would contest at least on four seats.
The possibilities as per the latest seat-sharing formula in the UDF:
• Congress may contest from Kottayam, Puthuppally, Vaikom, Kanjirappally and Changanacherry or Ettumanoor.
• Kerala Congress (Joseph) could be allotted Kaduthuruthy, Poonjar and Changanacherry or Ettumanoor.
• Pala definitely for the Nationalist Congress Kerala.
Kappan's party to formally join UDF
Pala legislator Mani C Kappan's party Nationalist Congress Kerala will be formally inducted into the UDF on Monday, March 1. If the announcement in this regard is made in the morning, then Kappan will attend the UDF leadership meeting taking place in Thiruvananthapuram later in the day.
Besides Pala, we will demand Kayamkulam and Vamanapuram in Thiruvananthapuram, NCK leaders said. But the UDF may allot Elathur in north Kerala to the NCK in addition to Pala.
Crucially, Kappan sounded that his erstwhile Nationalist Congress Party may quit the Left Democratic Front if the CPM takes over Kuttanad seat.
Kappan was recently expelled from the NCP for joining the UDF after a dispute over retaining the Pala seat.
Thomas Chandy, another NCP leader, who had won from Kuttanad in the last election had passed away last year.
