Kerala Congress (M) schism on Kasturi deepens

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The unrest in the Kerala Congress (M) further worsened on Saturday with former KC (Joseph) leaders grouping together and airing their protest over the remarks of KC (M) general secretary Joy Abraham on Friday against party spokesperson Antony Raju.
Former MP Francis George, who is known as the Man Friday of Joseph, levelled serious allegations against Joy Abraham who is a Mani loyalist. He said Joy Abraham was anti-farmer and hadn't taken up any of the farmers' issues in Rajya Sabha, of which he is a member. "If Joy says what Antony Raju said was not the party stance on Kasturirangan report, he should clarify what is the party stance," he told reporters in Thodupuzha.
Joy Abraham had, on the directive of party chairman K M Mani, clarified that the official stance of the party in any issue would be announced by Mani and Antony Raju's comments were not in tune with the party's agenda. Antony Raju and chief whip P C George had claimed that KC (M) MLAs would withdraw support to the UDF government if the central notification withdrawing Kasturirangan panel recommendations is not issued before the election notification.
On Saturday, Francis George came out with a stronger statement to send a clear message to party cadres who had been with Joseph earlier that they meant business. Antony Raju said Joy Abraham hadn't made a single comment on the Kasturirangan panel issue though it has been alive for over three months now. The chief whip is more in tune with the Joseph group though he is not in good terms with Joseph. Sources close to him said he had even registered his protest over the non-committal stand of Mani. "George is adamant that he would quit if a satisfactory notification is not issued by the Centre," a source said.