Kerala Congress (M) steering committee meeting to be held amid alliance confusion

Kottayam: Kerala Congress (M) leadership has reiterated that the party would remain firm with the LDF and there was no need for a switch to the UDF, but confusion persists among the members, with a sizeable number staying away from the Left front's programmes. The rank and file of UDF, meanwhile, feel the chances of KC(M) returning to the fold are high. Amid this confusion, the party's all-important steering committee meeting will be held at the party headquarters in Kottayam on Friday where party chairman Jose K Mani is expected to make a sensible decision.Talks about KC(M)'s likely switch gathered steam after the LDF faced a major setback in the local body polls in areas where the party has been having a strong influence. The Catholic Church, which forms the core vote bank of KC(M), also expressed its desire to have the party back in the UDF. However, the Church leadership is highly dissatisfied with the news reports that it held discussions to help KC(M).To add to the confusion, party chairman Jose K Mani did not participate in the protest organised by the chief minister in Thiruvananthapuram against the Union govt's policies. Following this, the internal rift regarding the alliance change became public with irrigation minister Roshy Augustine and MLA Pramod Narayanan stating on Facebook that they would continue in the LDF.Meanwhile, it is Jose K Mani who has suffered the most due to the recent controversies related to KC(M)'s move. Those with Jose K Mani believe that the discussion details on alliance change were leaked deliberately.Although Jose K Mani repeatedly reaffirms his confidence in the unity of all five MLAs of the party, the reality is that the discussions on alliance change have caused a rift in unity. Despite being with the Left front for the past five years, the fact remains that the hearts of the KC(M) members are still with the UDF. This is evident from the voting patterns in the local body polls and Lok Sabha elections in Kottayam, Idukki and Pathanamthitta districts, where KC(M) has considerable influence. The UDF emerged victorious even in areas where KC(M) has strong roots.