Cong Mani group holds the aces

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The Congress put up a brave front saying allies would not raise unreasonable demands even as signs of friction were evident after the absence of a landslide win in Kerala.
The lack of a clear majority has put the Congress at the mercy of allies like the Kerala Congress (M) which wields considerable influence in the Christian communtiy.
KC(M) Chairman K M Mani, who won from Pala constituency, was wondering how his margin had shrunk to just over 5000 while all the big leaders of the Congress-led United Democratic Front won with huge leads. Giving vent to his disillusionment, Mani said all the "internal dramas" will have to be discussed in the UDF meeting.
"There will be no problem from the allies. We will have a very stable government. Seventy-two seats are enough to rule. Everyone knows that the people will not forgive us if there is some problem," said MI Shanavas, Congress MP from Wayanad.
What made the situation more discomforting for Mani was that former minister PJ Joseph who broke away from the Left Democratic Front ahead of the polls and merged his faction with the KC(M) secured a lead of over 22,000 votes in Thodupuzha. Differences between the Congress and Mani had soared on account of the merger.
The Congress was against admitting Joseph, who was earlier accused and later acquitted of charges of molesting a woman aboard a flight, into the UDF camp. But Mani withstood the pressure.
KC(M) leaders privately expressed the view that local Congress leaders may have pulled the rug in Pala and places where its candidates were in the fray. Congress sources also expressed doubts over its poor performance in Idukki, a traditional stronghold, where it managed to win only two as against three seats of the Left.
Activists of the two parties almost came to blows outside Mani’s house after the leads were out on Friday.
Mani has been the longest-serving member of the state Assembly winning from the Palai constituency since 1965.
He also holds the record for presenting 8 budgets, the maximum by any finance minister.