Court orders Kerala Congress (M) not to elect chairman at commemorative function

Thiruvananthapuram: The Thiruvananthapuram fourth additional court ordered that the party chairman should not be chosen at the memorial programme. The court was considering a petition by the Kollam district secretary of KC (M).

A court has directed that election of Kerala Congress chairman should not be made in the commemorative function of the late Kerala Congress leader K M Mani.

The court’s instruction has come at a time when the argument over chairman candidate is prevailing. The Mani group has attempted to elect Mani’s son and party vice-president Jose K Mani to the post of chairman.

Also read: PJ Joseph to be Kerala Congress (M) temporary chairman

Meanwhile, PJ Joseph on May 13, was made the temporary chairman of the Kerala Congress (Mani). The decision was announced by the party general secretary Joy Abraham, who has the organisational charges.

Joseph will hold the temporary charge until a new chairman is chosen. During the announcement of the temporary chairman, Abraham said that, as per party rules, in the absence of the chairman, according to the Rule 29 of party constituency, all powers and functions of the chairman will fall on the working chairman. So Joseph was selected as the temporary chairman.

 It was assumed by the party that vice-chairman Jose K Mani would be the new chairman. Those supporting the working chairman Joseph are not ready to accept Jose as the chairman. Of the 14 district presidents of the party, 10 are from the KM Mani group.

The faction led by Jose, which has a clear majority in the party’s committees, is firm on the founder leader’s son becoming the next chairman. The move, however, is opposed by Joseph, who also looks to firm up his control over the party by becoming the next Parliamentary party leader while making CF Thomas the chairman.

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