Thaindian News

Thiruvananthapuram, April 28 (IANS) A minister’s absence from Kerala’s weekly cabinet meeting Wednesday triggered speculation here that the Kerala Congress-Joseph, an ally of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), may be headed for a split with a breakaway faction likely to join the Congress-led alliance.
Public Works Department (PWD) Minister P.J. Joseph, who heads the Kerala Congress-Joseph (KC-J) did not attend the meeting and did not give reasons for his absence either, Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan told reporters here after the meet.

“We will wait and see and this has occurred because of their internal problems in the party, but the LDF is strong and has the support of the people,” Achuthanandan said.

Asked if he would initiate steps to see that the party doesn’t split and that Joseph stays on, the chief minister said: “How can anyone forcibly ask someone to stay?”

Speculation has been rife of a possible merger between the KC-J and the Kerala Congress-Mani (KC-M), the second largest party in the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). Both parties have considerable influence in Christian-dominated areas.

Jospeh told reporters in his hometown Thodupuzha that he did not attend the cabinet meet as he was unwell and that his party’s state committee would meet Friday to decide on a possible merger.

A section of the KC-J led by former MP P.C. Thomas, however, denied reports of his party merging with the KC-M, and stressed the party continued to be with the LDF. The Left-led front has seven constituents.

“No such decision has ever been discussed in our party and if anyone prefers to leave, they are free to leave and we will be with the LDF. We will be having a nominee in the cabinet also,” said Thomas, who is known to have a long-running feud with Joseph.

Senior KC-M legislator P.C. George confirmed that the decks have been cleared for Joseph’s entry into his party. The KC-J currently has four legislators.

Leader of opposition Oommen Chandy, meanwhile, maintained that he was not aware of these developments apart from what he had read in the newspapers.

“I can’t comment on media reports, but one thing I can say is that we are not going to go with a bag to catch people from the LDF,” Chandy said.