Kochi: Congress chief in Kerala, K Sudhakaran, on Sunday, hinted that his party is ready to welcome the CPI into the alliance led by it. In a politically significant statement, Sudhakaran said that the United Democratic Front (UDF) would discuss accommodating the CPI "if it corrects its mistake".

Addressing media in Kannur, Sudhakaran said the CPI should think about whether it should continue within the Left Democratic Front (LDF) as "a slave of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan".

"Can't the CPI stay as an independent bloc? If they correct their mistake, we may discuss inducting them into the UDF," Sudhakaran said.

The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president's veiled invite to CPI comes amid the controversies that have rocked the LDF. The CPI has been miffed over the revelations that the ADGP (law and order), M R Ajith Kumar, had personal meetings with top RSS leaders Dattatreya Hosabale and Ram Madhav. The CPI also shares the Congress' view that the Thrissur Pooram festival was disrupted by the police due to external influence aiming to help the BJP win the Lok Sabha polls. 

CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam has repeatedly called for the removal of Ajith Kumar from the post citing the impropriety of his meeting with the RSS leaders. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who has ordered a probe into the allegations against Ajith Kumar, including those raised by CPM-backed MLA P V Anvar, has refused to remove him from the post till the inquiry is over. 

A few days ago, senior Congress leader and UDF convener M M Hassan had also made it clear that the opposition front would think about accommodating LDF allies including CPI if they feel humiliated within the Left front. Hassan said that there is a feeling among the CPI cadre that there is no need to stay with the CPM.