Amid speculation over the Kerala Congress (M) possibly returning to the United Democratic Front (UDF), the Left government on Wednesday decided to lease land for the establishment of two memorial research institutions dedicated to K M Mani and Kodiyeri Balakrishnan. The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting held on Wednesday.

In Thiruvananthapuram’s Kowdiar, 25 cents of land will be leased to the K M Mani Foundation for establishing the K M Mani Memorial Institute for Social Transformation. The land will be leased for 30 years at a rate of ₹100 per are per year.

Significantly, KC (M) leader Jose K Mani on Wednesday asserted that the party would firmly remain with the Left Democratic Front (LDF), dismissing reports that Congress leader Sonia Gandhi had reached out to him with an invitation to rejoin the UDF.

Meanwhile, in Thalassery’s Vadikkakath, 1.139 acres of land will be leased for setting up the Kodiyeri Balakrishnan Memorial Study and Research Centre. The land will be leased to the Kodiyeri Balakrishnan Memorial Academy of Social Sciences (KBMASS) for a period of 30 years at an annual rent of ₹100 per are.