Kottayam: Ruling out speculations about the Kerala Congress (M) returning to the United Democratic Front (UDF), party leader Jose K Mani on Wednesday said the party would firmly remain with the Left Democratic Front (LDF).

Addressing the media here, Mani said he would lead the LDF’s procession in the central Kerala region and that all MLAs of the party would unanimously stand by the decision to continue in the LDF.

Dismissing reports that Congress leader Sonia Gandhi had reached out to him with an invitation to rejoin the UDF, Mani said such media reports were speculative and driven by hidden agendas.

“Our party is now with the LDF, and we will continue in the Left Front. There is no reason to think otherwise,” he said, adding that the front of which KC(M) is a constituent would come to power in Kerala after the Assembly elections.

Mani also pointed out that it was the UDF that had decided to part ways with the KC(M). “In the previous Lok Sabha elections, the UDF secured a majority in 110 Assembly segments. That number dropped to 80 in the recently held local body elections. We are happy in the LDF and will continue there,” he said.

Responding to questions about his absence from a recent state government protest programme, Mani said he could not attend as he had to visit his father’s friend, who was admitted to a hospital in Dubai. “I had informed the Chief Minister in advance about my inability to attend,” he said. He also noted that he does not regularly attend LDF meetings and that party MLA Stephen George represented KC(M) in the last meeting.

Mani said several parties and leaders were approaching KC(M) with requests to align with them, which he attributed to the party’s relevance in the upcoming Assembly elections.

Asked whether there were differences of opinion within the party over continuing with the LDF, Mani said that while leaders may have individual views, they would stand unitedly behind the party’s final decision.

There were also reports that Mani might not lead the LDF’s Central Kerala election procession. Dismissing these, he said he would lead the procession but had informed LDF leaders of the practical difficulties of accompanying it on all days due to Parliament sessions.

Mani added that the party was yet to take a final decision on the number of Assembly seats it would contest, and that the decision would be taken after detailed discussion. 

In the 2021 assembly election, Jose K Mani was defeated by Mani C Kappan by 14,491 votes in the Pala constituency. KDP (Kerala Democratic Party) leader Mani C Kappan has already informed the UDF leadership that he will contest in Pala this time as well.