Kottayam: The cold war inside the Kerala Congress (M) is increasing day by day. Who will be the new chairman of the party is the new problem in the party.  Recently, seven district presidents owing allegiance to the KM Mani faction met the deputy chairman CF Thomas with a request on making Jose K Mani the chairman of the party.

Kerala Congress (M)'s late leader KM Mani, one of India’s longest-serving legislators and representative of Pala constituency in Kottayam, passed away at a private hospital in Kochi on April 9.

The Kerala Congress (M) leaders claimed that the chairman and Parliamentary leader position belongs to the KM Mani group.

Meanwhile, CF Thomas has advised the leaders to decide on a mutual agreement.

Those supporting the working chairman PJ Joseph are not ready to accept Jose K Mani as the chairman. Of the 14 district presidents of the party, 10 are from the KM Mani group.

Party working chairman Joseph said he did not think both positions would be taken by the Mani faction in a party that stands united, perhaps hinting about a possible split in such an eventuality.

A couple of days ago, Prathichaya, the mouthpiece of Kerala Congress (M) has lashed out at the party's working chairman Joseph in its daily. The article in the newspaper said that late party leader KM Mani breathed his last with a wounded heart.

The article written in the mouthpiece by editor Kurias Kumbalakuzhu said that everybody in the party was "jealous and scared" of KM Mani. In the article, he had said that everybody in the party tried to destroy KM Mani.

The article published in the newspaper is a chapter of the book 'Bar Kozha Satyavum Midhyayum' (Bar bribery - truth and myth). The Kerala Congress (M) will publish the book soon.