Fissures over Idukki deepen in KC(M)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The difference of opinion over contesting from the Idukki parliament constituency seems to have deepened the fissures within the Kerala Congress (Mani) on Sunday.
The P J Joseph faction mooted a friendly contest-if UDF denies the party the seat-and the KC (M) chairman, K M Mani, categorically ruling out any such possibility. The deepening fissures might split the KC(M).
The Joseph group in the party has been adamant on the Idukki seat. Joseph's trusted lieutenant Antony Raju on Sunday suggested a "friendly contest" in the hilly district if the Congress denied them the seat.
"There is a popular sentiment in the party that Francis George should go for a friendly contest in Idukki. Such contests have happened in the past and is not a new phenomenon in the UDF," said Raju, KC(M) general secretary.
Mani was quick to clarify. He said the party would prefer a candidate acceptable to the UDF. "The party has no such plans (for a friendly contest)," he said.
Sources said Joseph group has put Mani under pressure, demanding Idukki for George.
Jose K Mani, son of the party chairman and sitting MP from Kottayam, launching his poll campaign even before the party decided the candidates, have angered the Joseph group.
The Joseph faction felt that Mani was not serious enough to bargain with the Congress for the Idukki seat, since his only interest was in securing Congress's support to protecting his son's sitting seat.
Though Joseph clarified that the "friendly contest" idea was merely the personal opinion of Raju, he said talks on seat sharing have not been concluded, indicating that he was still hopeful of getting the seat for George.