Kollam: Speculations are rife that Kovoor Kunjumon, MLA, who won as an Independent candidate with the Left support in Kunnathur in the 2016 Kerala Assembly Election, could contest the upcoming state polls on a CPI ticket. However, both Kunjumon and the CPI have stated that no such move is currently on.
However, leaders of his own party, RSP (Leninist), say that they would not be surprised by any last-minute decision taken by Kunjumon.
Though he is a leader of the five-year-old party, Kunjumon does not hold any formal post.
Rumours on Kunjumon's likely switch cropped up over reports that the LDF will allot one more seat to CPI in Kollam if it parts with its Kanjirappally seat for the Jose K Mani faction of the Kerala Congress.
If a candidate, who won as an Independent, joins a party, he would be disqualified. Therefore, Kunjumon's decision would be crucial and not that of the party.
Kunjumon has so far won four consecutive times at Kunnathur under the LDF banner.
When RSP left the LDF in 2014 and joined the UDF, Kunjumon stood with the party. However, right before the 2016 Assembly election, Kunjumon became part of the LDF. But the LDF is yet to formally accept Kunjumon’s party as a former alliance partner, though it is said to be part of the front. The party is never invited for the state LDF meet, but is called for the district meet.
