NCP MLA Mani C Kappan declares he will join the UDF

Mani C Kappan who won the Pala assembly seat for the Left Democratic Front in the by-elections held in September 2019 has declared that he will join the rival United Democratic Front as an ally.

Kappan is a leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) which is a constituent of the LDF.

"I will go as an ally of the UDF," Kappan told the media in New Delhi on Friday.

Kappan's rapport with the CPI (M), the largest constituent of the LDF was strained after Jose K Mani faction of the Kerala Congress (M) was welcomed into the coalition in October 2020. The Pala seat had been won by the KC (M) patriarch KM Mani for decades and the byelection victory was the first in 40 years for the LDF. However, after the bye-election, the LDF tied up with Jose Mani for local polls.

KM Mani led KC (M) had been an ally of the UDF for decades. However Jose K Mani, son of KM Mani, switched over to the LDF.  Post Jose K Mani's entry into the LDF , Kappan has been publically expressing discontent over it’s alleged move to give the Pala seat in the upcoming Assembly elections to the Jose K Mani faction. The state is likely to go to polls in April.

There are rumours that Jose K Mani was promised the Pala seat while he was accommodated into the LDF.

However, there is no official confirmation from the LDF yet.

Kappan is in Delhi to hold discussions with the national leadership of the NCP. Party supremo Sharad Pawar has reportedly assigned National General Secretary of the party Praful Patel to take the call. NCP has two MLAs in the Kerala Assembly, Kappan and AK Saseendran.

Saseendran on Friday has asserted that he will remain in LDF only. "Let him remain (in LDF) like a rock, I will join UDF as an ally", Kappan reacted to Saseendran adding that he has requested the party leadership to take the call before the Congress Aishwarya Kerala Yatra reaches Kottayam, where Pala is located.

The yatra is a poll rally being taken out from the northern to the southern end of the state by Opposition Leader Ramesh Chennithala. The rally will reach Kottayam on Sunday. However it's not clear how a single leader can join a coalition as an ally and Kappan is likely to mark his entry to UDF by joining the rally in Kottayam.