Mani C Kappan and AK Saseendran | Photo: Mathrubhumi
New Delhi: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will decide on Friday whether to remain in LDF or switch to UDF ahead of the Assembly polls in Kerala.
The dispute triggered by the Pala seat has brought NCP in Kerala on the verge of split. While Mani C. Kappan and A. K. Saseendran are on opposite sides of the equation, NCP state president T. P. Peethambaran master is awaiting the national leadership decision.
Kappan is ready to leave LDF front for not providing him the Pala seat. But Saseendran is pressurising to remain in the Left front even if NCP loses its sitting seat in Pala.
The NCP national leadership is dissatisfied with CPI (M) for not providing them the Pala seat. Praful Patel will hold discussions with Kerala leaders in Delhi and seek the opinion of Saseendran over phone.
The NCP leadership will evaluate reports that LDF would retain power in Kerala. After learning the decision of NCP national president Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel will officially announce the final decision.
Confusion in NCP national leadership
There is confusion in the NCP national leadership about leaving LDF over Pala seat. Sharad Pawar wants to remain in LDF even if NCP loses Pala seat. But Praful Patel is unhappy about Pinarayi Vijayan refusing Pala seat and Rajya Sabha seat. It is learned that Patel favours NCP joining UDF.
Sharad Pawar, Praful Patel, Mani C. Kappan and T. P. Peethambaran will discuss the matter in Delhi on Friday.
CPI (M) national secretary Sitaram Yechury, who has close ties with Sharad Pawar, has asked the NCP leader to remain in LDF. The NCP has demanded either an alternate seat for Pala where the party is guaranteed victory or a Rajya Sabha seat. Yechury said that a decision in this regard will be taken by the CPI (M) state leadership.
T. P. Peethambaran will obey any decision taken by the NCP national leadership. But if NCP remains in LDF and does not get an alternate seat for Pala or the Rajya Sabha seat, Mani C. Kappan will leave the front. If that happens, Kappan is likely to contest in Pala itself, but not as an LDF candidate.
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