GIVING a major jolt to the United Democratic Front (UDF), Kerala Congress (M) chairman and former finance minister K M Mani boycotted the front’s meeting held at opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala’s official residence, on July 25.  In a clear message to the UDF that the party will no longer take the insults to its chairman lying down, none of the KCM leaders also attended the meeting, throwing the allies into jitters. Taking into account the belligerent position of Mani, the UDF leaders were forced to defer their decision to meet on August 4 and the agitational programme against the present LDF government scheduled on the same day. Mani reportedly informed the UDF leaders that he would not be in a position to attend the meeting in view of the two-day camp of his party’s state leadership on August 6 and 7 at Charalkunnu in Kottayam district.

Kerala Congress-M sources made it clear that Mani’s absence was deliberate. The decision was taken in view of the strong resentment within the party for the debacle in the assembly election. The party is of the view that the Congress is responsible for its electoral setback because it played up the bar bribery case against Mani.

Though K M Mani had several times in the past alleged that  Chennithala had plotted against him in the bar scam, he had refrained from any direct confrontation with the Congress. But July 25th action may be the beginning of the end of their relationships, it is feared. UDF convenor and senior Congress leader P P Thankachan had earlier scheduled the UDF meeting on July 26 when Mani told him of his inconvenience.

Hence, Thankachan advanced the meeting by a day as Mani was scheduled to attend the subjects committee meeting (home) of the assembly on the same day. But Mani did not attend that meeting either. Opposition leader and UDF chairman Ramesh Chennithala urged former chief minister Oommen Chandy and IUML leader P K Kunhalikutty, who is very close to Mani, to contact the latter while the meeting was underway. When P K Kunhalikutty tried to contact Mani, his personal assistant informed him that Mani will not attend the meeting dashing the allies’ hopes of bringing Mani around. A senior UDF leader told that Mani stayed back from the meeting to send a clear signal to the allies about his intentions.

A section of UDF allies said that there was no point in holding the meeting without Mani. But others opposed the idea.  Usually, KC (M) leader P J Joseph and Rajya Sabha MP Joy Abraham too attend the UDF meeting. It was reported that P J Joseph was in the city. However, they were also conspicuous by their absence on July 25.

It may be recalled that earlier, K M Mani had hinted in the party mouthpiece, ‘Prathichchaya’ about Chennithala’s role in the bar scam.  Youth Front (M) president Saji Manjakadambil had also shot off a letter to AICC leadership seeking action against  Chennithala.

Thankachan, while addressing a press conference soon after a brief meeting of the leaders, did not find anything amiss in Mani’s absence or the fact that he did not bother to send a representative to attend it. He said the next UDF meeting on August 4 had been fixed after ensuring that it was convenient for Mani. Within few hours, the UDF leadership forced to postpone that meeting also.

A sulking Mani had taken a lukewarm stand during the assembly session, maintaining a studious distance during the debates on various issues that the opposition picked up for highlighting on the floor of the house.

Meanwhile in an exclusive interview to The Hindu K M Mani, has said that the Congress, as the leader of the United Democratic Front (UDF), should change its style of functioning. Mani admitted that his party had issues with the Congress. “There is too much of infighting (within the UDF). And instead of fighting against our common opponent they are interested in bringing down coalition partners,” he said.

Reacting to the various theories being aired, Mani said he would neither say yes, nor no, to any of these. “Options are open for the Kerala Congress,” the KC(M) leader said. The party will take its future course of action as and when time comes. “We have scheduled a party camp at Charalkunnu where presidents of the mandalam committees and members of the party steering committee would attend.”

“Future decisions will be taken after the camp,” he said. “We are a mature political party and our decisions will be based not on any emotional issue. At the same time, we also do not have any servitude towards any party,” Mani said.