Kerala CM Oommen Chandy plays down JD(U) pullout threat

[related-post]

JD (U) is an ally of the Congress-led United Democratic Front in Kerala. The party is mulling to review its alliance with Congress after the formation of Janata Parivar at the national level. JD (U) state president M P Veerendrakumar had dropped enough hints about quitting the UDF, saying that the new political scenario demanded new a political line. “We have to go by the decision of the national leadership of the JD (U). So far, the state unit did not discuss the matter with the national leaders. We are ready to join any front, including the LDF, to fight the threat raised by Sangh Parivar,’’ said Veerendrakumar.

He even went on to say that his rout in the last LS elections was orchestrated by Congress leaders in Palakkad.

The JD(S), which has four members in the assembly, too said it was ready for a merger with the JD (U), provided it came out of the UDF.

The exit of JD (U), which has two members in the assembly, could even lead to the fall of the UDF Government which has currently a majority of three members. The UDF is also worried over the next move of sulking Kerala Congress (M) leader P C George. After voting for the UDF candidates in the Rajya Sabha election on Monday, George had stated that he would not vote for the UDF anymore in the present Assembly.

Meanwhile, the CPI (M) is also mulling to bring back the Kerala unit of RSP into the LDF. The RSP had left the LDF on the eve of LS elections in 2014, in protest against the denial of its sitting seat.