Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 22 The Congress-led United Democratic Front's (UDF) effort to expand its political base ahead of the Assembly elections in Kerala has suffered a setback, with Kerala Kamaraj Congress President Vishnupuram Chandrasekharan publicly ruling out any move to join the front as an associate member.
He was reacting soon after Kerala's Leader of the Opposition (LoP) V.D. Satheesan, on Monday, after chairing a meeting of the entire UDF top brass announced that Chandrasekharan's party along with Trinamool Congress (Kerala unit) led by two time former Left Independent legislator P.V. Anvar; and the Janadhipathya Rashtriya Party (JRP) led by tribal leader C.K. Janu was cleared to be admitted as associate members of the UDF.
Chandrasekharan has said that he has no intention of aligning with the UDF.
He clarified that while discussions with political leaders had taken place, he had neither submitted an application nor expressed formal interest in joining the Congress-led UDF.
"I am not someone who bargains in politics for positions or personal gain," he said, adding that he has remained with the NDA for the past decade.
Chandrasekharan underlined his ideological roots, saying that he comes from an RSS background and has been a 'swayamsevak' since childhood.
"That movement shaped me, and mentally I remain aligned with those positions," he said.
At the same time, he noted that his party is currently maintaining a distance from the BJP, a decision taken at a meeting attended by nearly 3,000 representatives and not revised since.
Internal differences, particularly over the use of workers' votes for "other purposes", persist within the party, he said, adding that discussions were underway to resolve these issues.
He also said that Union Minister and Kerala BJP President Rajeev Chandrasekhar had assured that existing problems could be addressed.
LoP Satheesan had said that parties which cooperated with the UDF in the recently held local body elections in Kerala were being considered for associate status, with the larger objective of strengthening the Congress-led UDF front electorally.
While P.V. Anvar extended full cooperation during the recent state local body polls, it did not translate into political gains for him.
Meanwhile, the UDF will hold a statewide yatra in February from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram to intensify the "anti-incumbency" sentiment against the CPI(M)-led LDF government, as it prepares for the state Assembly elections likely to be held in April/May next year.
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