Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday appeared to strike a non-committal tone when asked whether the Left Democratic Front (LDF) would offer a berth to Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose. K. Mani, who faced the threat of ouster from the United Democratic Front (UDF).
Almost simultaneously, Mr. Vijayan seemed not to shut the door on Mr. Mani. “Let him make his stance clear. Let him state his future course of action. Then we will decide how to proceed,” Mr. Vijayan said.
When pressed whether the LDF would accord Mr. Mani, the embrace it had denied his father and Kerala Congress (M) founder K.M. Mani, Mr. Vijayan dwelt briefly on the transient nature of parliamentary politics. “There are no permanent likes or dislikes in the cut and thrust of politics,” he said.
When asked whether he had factored in the possibility that Mr. Mani might align himself with the Bharathiya Janata Party if rejected by the opposing fronts, Mr. Vijayan said the UDF, riven by irreconcilable internal disputes, was tottering.
