A possible split in two constituents of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) — the Janata Dal (Secular) and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) — seems to have put in a dampner on the jubilation of Left parties in the just concluded three-tier local body polls in the State.
A faction of the JD(S) led by former president C.K. Nanu, legislator from Vadakara, is reportedly planning to hold a meeting in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday. The proposed meeting comes when the Central leadership led by party president H.D. Deva Gowda had dissolved the State unit and constituted an ad hoc committee to be headed by his bête noire Mathew T. Thomas, MLA.
In a press note released on Friday, Mr. Thomas said that those who are facing disciplinary action for anti-party activities had called the meeting and that the unauthorised assembly of these people had no association with the JD(S) State unit.
Intense rivalry that has been going on between the factions of the JD(S) for quite some time saw the removal of Mr. Thomas from the Cabinet and another leader K. Krishnankutty representing Chittur segment, occupying the Ministerial berth. Consequently Mr. Nanu became the president of the party.
Interestingly, the likely split may happen when the JD(S) leadership had put on hold a merger with the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD), the nascent partner of the LDF. This also assumes significance when the CPI(M) plans to succumb to the demands of the LJD which wants to contest in the Vadakara seat.
Another trouble is brewing within the NCP led by Mani C. Kappan, MLA, and Minister for Transport A.K. Saseendran. The bone of contention was the Pala segment represented by Mr. Kappan after the Jose K. Mani faction of the Kerala Congress (M) has staked claim to contest the seat in the coming Assembly polls.
An imminent split in the NCP is on the cards with the CPI(M) likely to favour Mr. Mani and offer the segment to his faction. Meanwhile, leaders owing allegiance to Mr. Kappan had already held many rounds of the discussion with the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF).
With the electoral success in the three-tier local body polls, the CPI(M) leadership would not want to see a split in these constituents. However, both these parties have no high stakes in the political arena of the State.
