Congress tries to woo KM Mani in Kerala

KOCHI: After its landslide victory in Malappuram, the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) is trying to bring back its old allies to the Front.

KPCC president M M Hassan has invited Kerala Congress (M) led by K M Mani to return to UDF. He said in Malappuram, the support given by K M Mani to the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) candidate P K Kunhalikutty has contributed to his success. The support of KC(M) has also helped UDF, he said.

Hassan said all parties in UDF want Kerala Congress (M) to come back. According to him, nobody ousted KC(M) from the Front. The decision to leave was taken by Mani himself, he added.

Hassan said that the UDF meeting on April 21will discuss the return of KC(M) in detail. However, K M Mani declined the offer to return to UDF made by Congress and IUML. He said that there is no need to review his party’s decision to leave UDF at this juncture.

KC(M) is not planning to return to UDF immediately. K M Mani said that KC(M) has also got a role in the victory of the UDF candidate at Malappuram. KC(M) decided to extend its support to IUML taking into account its half a century old relationship with the party. K M Mani made it clear that the support was for IUML and not for UDF. Former CM Oommen Chandy also said Kerala Congress (M) should come back to UDF.