All eyes on Jose K Mani as LDF, UDF vie for Kerala Cong ahead of polls

With Assembly elections approaching, Kerala Congress leader Jose K Mani finds himself in a strong bargaining position. The party, which contested the 2012 Assembly polls as part of the LDF and won five of the 12 seats it fought, is being actively wooed by both the Left-led LDF and the Congress-led UDF for the upcoming elections.

The speculation over a possible shift in allegiance gathered momentum after the LDF's poor performance in the recent local body polls. Sources told ET that the Congress leadership in Delhi initiated outreach efforts, with state leaders taking the talks forward. The party has also roped in a few church leaders to persuade Mani to return to the UDF.

However, the situation within Kerala Congress remains divided, with two of its five MLAs opposed to any alliance switch. The ruling LDF, meanwhile, is closely tracking the developments and has stepped up efforts to retain Kerala Congress. It has offered 13 seats in the forthcoming Assembly elections, in line with Mani's demand. On Wednesday, the state cabinet approved the allotment of land in Thiruvananthapuram for an institute in memory of K M Mani, Jose K Mani's late father and founder of Kerala Congress. Following a crucial steering committee meeting on Friday, Mani reiterated that his party would remain with the LDF, though he remained silent on the discussions with the Congress - leaving the door open for further negotiations ahead of the polls.