Chennithala, Muraleedharan likely to contest

Thiruvananthapuram: In an important development for the UDF in Kerala, KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala is expected to contest the assembly polls, setting aside the normal practice of state unit heads keeping off the electoral

fray for organisational reasons. The party high command has given nod to Chennithala to enter the fray if he prefers to do so, according to sources close to Chennithala.

The move to is seen by observers as part of a strategy to placate the majority sentiments by offsetting the impression of prominence of the minority communities in the UDF, especially in communally sensitive central and sough Kerala.

The Congress’s calculations of striking a communal balancing in selection of UDF candidates has been upset to a certain extent by the demand of the Christian-dominated Kerala Congress (Mani) for more seats this time.

A long-time ally of the Congress in Kerala, KC (M) has based its claim on the ground that its support base has strengthened with the Kerala Congress (Joseph) faction merging with it and quitting the LDF.

The KC factions were said to have merged with the blessings of a powerful section in the church establishment, which had openly resented the policies of the LDF, especially in the education sector.

The Kerala Congress (M), which has been pressing for 22 seats this time against 11 it received in 2006, would be getting most of its segments in the Central Trvancore districts of Kottayam, Pathanamthitta and Idukki.

The Congress would also have to field some of its prominent Christian faces in the area. Calculations of the party strategists is that fielding a heavyweight candidate like Chennithala would balance the communal equations and placate community outfits like Nair Service Society (NSS). Chennithala,who belongs to Nair community, has always maintained good equations with the NSS leadership.

According to sources, the entry of Chennithala is unlikely to upset the chances of senior leader Oommen Chandy, who is widely seen as the front runner for the chief minister’s post.

Muraleedharan is being considered for Koduvally in Kozhikode district. Former National Students Union of India (NSUI) chief Hiby Eden will also be fielded, likely from Ernakulam district, they said.

The Congress on Tuesday formed a 35-member committee of state leaders to oversee the Kerala polls. It included Chennithala, Chandy, Muraleedharan, all five Congress ministers from Kerala in the union cabinet, and former state chiefs among others.