Kochi/New Delhi: The opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala got a shot in its arm on Saturday as a faction in the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)—a constituent in the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF)—parted ways with the alliance led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist), or CPM, to join the Congress-led front.
MLA Kappen, who heads the faction, said he would attend the ‘Aiswarya Kerala’ Yatra led by Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala in his Pala constituency in Kottayam on Sunday.
Kappen, who won the Pala seat as an LDF candidate in the 2019 bypolls, claimed support of seven district presidents and nine state office bearers of the NCP.
Kappen revolted after CPM reportedly moved to hand over Pala assembly seat to the Kerala Congress (M)-led by Jose K Mani that recently joined the ruling front.
Kappen, in an interaction with media, hopes the UDF would take his faction in its fold.
State transport minister A.K. Saseendran, who heads the NCP rival faction, condemned Kappen’s move and alleged it was an injustice to Pala that elected him in the bypoll.
The NCP’s national leadership has not reacted to the development.
Kappen defeated Kerala Congress leader Jose Tom, who contested under UDF fold in the bypoll necessitated following the demise of former minister K.M. Mani.
Mani represented the Pala seat in the assembly for more than 50 years.
Kappen held talks with NCP’s national leaders in New Delhi about the “injustice” being meted out to him by the LDF over the Pala seat.
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