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Business News/ Politics / Policy/  Congress renews alliance with K.M. Mani days before key assembly bypoll in Kerala
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Congress renews alliance with K.M. Mani days before key assembly bypoll in Kerala

The immediate trigger for the alliance is to swing votes in its favour in a crucial bypoll next week, in Alappuzha district's Chengannur assembly seat

K.M. Mani said his decision to align with the United Democratic Front in Kerala was taken in view of ‘the necessity for unity of regional parties to fight communalism at the national level’.Photo: PTIPremium
K.M. Mani said his decision to align with the United Democratic Front in Kerala was taken in view of ‘the necessity for unity of regional parties to fight communalism at the national level’.Photo: PTI

Ernakulam: The Congress in Kerala seems to have taken a cue from its Karnataka unit on the need to unite with strong regional parties to take on local opposition as well as the Bharatiya Janata Party ruling at the centre, ahead of the 2019 general election.

The party brought back estranged alliance partner and influential Christian politician K.M. Mani to its fold in Kerala on Tuesday.

The immediate trigger for the alliance is to swing votes in its favour in a crucial bypoll next week, in Alappuzha district’s Chengannur assembly seat. However, Congress leaders say it will mark Mani’s rejoining the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) fold.

On Monday night, senior leaders of the Congress in Kerala, including former chief minister Oommen Chandy, and ally Muslim League leader P.K. Kunhalikutty, made a beeline in front of Mani’s residence in Pala (Kottayam district), seeking Kerala Congress (Mani)’s, or KC(M)’s, support for UDF candidate D. Vijayakumar in the Chengannur bypoll.

Mani, who had serious differences with Congress leaders and was being vague on his choice of support until now, announced at a press meet in Kerala on Tuesday that he will hold a convention on Thursday to support the UDF candidate. He said the decision was taken in view of “the necessity for unity of regional parties to fight communalism at the national level."

He said the Karnataka assembly election results and political developments in the country thereafter have underlined the need for putting up a joint fight of secular forces and regional parties against “growing communalism."

“Mani is the most sought after alliance partner for any front in Kerala and we are sure he is going to stick with us for a long time ahead," said a Congress legislator in Kerala who was involved in the party’s back-channel meetings with Mani, requesting not to be identified.

PTI contributed to this story

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Published: 22 May 2018, 10:36 PM IST
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