CPI (M) woos Kerala Congress (Mani)

Thiruvananthapuram: The CPI (M) has indicated that Kerala Congress (Mani) will not be unwelcome in the LDF.

CPI (M) State Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan said the other day that there could be issue based cooperation with parties dissociating themselves from the United Democratic Front.

On Friday, the CPI (M) organ Deshabhimani came out with an editorial that said that there was no logic in the LDF refraining from expanding the popular base of the Front because it has a comfortable majority in the Assembly. The LDF had allied with factions of Kerala Congress in the past. Now, it should be trying to achieve higher degree of unity of people when communalism and anti-people policies were gaining strength.

However, the CPI is opposed to this line. Party State Secretary Kanam Rajendran maintained that Kerala Congress leader K. M. Mani could not be ‘beautified’ just because he had left the UDF.

Mr. Mani has not reacted to the overtures from the LDF though a strong section in his party wants to be part of a Front. A major section is, however, opposed to alliance with BJP.