Amidst Left Democratic Front (LDF) feelers and United Democratic Front (UDF) peace efforts, the Kerala Congress (M) [KC(M)] faction led by Jose K. Mani here on Thursday sought to dispel the speculations about the plans to switch sides and reiterated that the party would rather stand on its own.

Addressing mediapersons here, Mr. Mani expressed gratitude over the remarks by CPI(M) State secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan and LDF convener A. Vijayaraghavan acknowledging the KC(M) (Mani group) as a party with a mass base. “We, however, are yet to initiate discussions on whether to align with any side or not,” he said.

Joseph’s charge

Earlier in the day, P.J. Joseph had accused Mr. Mani of deliberately moving out of the UDF with an eye on some other aim. “To say that they were expelled from the coalition was not right. They have left on their own and nobody was sure about the direction they were heading. The UDF, however, is ready to accept the party if they fall in line and facilitate a change of guard in the Kottayam District Panchayat,” he said.

To a query on whether the coalition would move a no-confidence motion in the local body, he replied in the affirmative and described the delay in moving the motion as a strategy. At the same time, he also claimed that workers, including elected representatives, from the Mani group were abandoning the faction to join his side.

“Their base is fast eroding and more people are set to come out of it in the coming days,” Mr. Joseph said, in an oblique reference to the remark made by the CPI(M) State secretary.

Party base

Amidst speculations about more leaders leaving the faction, the Mani group has commenced all-out attempts to keep the party base intact by holding meetings at the grassroots level to convey the party’s stance. ‘

The move comes at a time when the praise heaped by the CPI(M) leaders on the Mani group appears to have left its rank and file confused about the faction’s future course of action.

According to sources, several of the party workers in UDF bastions across Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Idukki districts prefer to stay away from the LDF.

The Joseph faction, on the other hand, is making the most of the situation by projecting it as the official KC(M) to woo more people from the rival camp.