All is not well in Cong-led UDF: Mani C.Kappen

Thiruvananthapuram, March 31 The newest ally of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) Mani C. Kappen, who heads the Nationalist Congress Kerala (NCK), has said that things are not that well within the party.

"Corrections have to be made in the working of the UDF, as at present there is a lack of coordination," he told the media on Thursday.

Kappen originally belonged to the Sharad Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party, which has been an ally of the CPI-M-led ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF), but just before the 2021 Kerala Assembly polls, he was forced out of the LDF after the CPI-M welcomed Kerala Congress (Mani) led by Jose K. Mani.

The NCK leader won the by-election from the Pala constituency in Kottayam district during 2019 when he defeated the candidate of the Kerala Congress (M), previously an ally of the Congress-led UDF. When Jose K. Mani's party became an ally of the LDF, Kappen was asked to make way for Mani which was turned down.

Soon Kappen broke away from the NCP and was welcomed by the Congress-led UDF and was given the Pala constituency.

During the 2021 Kerala Assembly polls, after a hard-fought electoral battle, Jose had to bite the dust with Kappen winning a second term.

Sixty-five-year-old Kappen told the media that he was being snubbed for the party events of the UDF.

"At times, I am not invited for the programmes of the UDF. If I am called, I will definitely attend. Also since I was in the Left also, I know both the fronts well. There is no ambiguity in the Left and there is perfect coordination," the NCK leader said.

"In the UDF, there is no coordination among the leaders which is not the case with the Left parties. I am sure that with little efforts things will be better in the UDF, but whatever happens, am not going back to the Left," said Kappen.

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