PJ Joseph prone to accept 10 seats; finish in sight for UDF seat-sharing stalemate

Express News Service
KOTTAYAM: The stalemate within the UDF over sharing seats between Congress and Kerala Congress faction led by PJ Joseph is prone to be resolved with an over telephone dialog between senior Congress leaders and P J Joseph on Sunday. According to sources, the Joseph faction will get 10 seats, together with Changanassery, Ettumanoor and Kaduthuruthi constituencies, in Kottayam district.

Though Joseph remains to be sticking to his demand for the Moovattupuzha seat, by which he needs to make sure a certain seat for his aide Francis George, Congress is unlikely to simply accept the demand. Apart from three seats in Kottayam district, Joseph will get Thodupuzha, Idukki, Kuttanad, Tiruvalla, Kothamangalam, Irinjalakuda and Perambra. As per the current understanding between Congress and the Joseph faction, the latter will withdraw from their claims on Kanjirappally and Poonjar seats, the place Congress will contest.

Meanwhile, Joseph continues to exert stress on UDF management along with his declare for 12 seats. Sources at Joseph’s camp stated he would arrive at a settlement for 10 seats provided that they get Moovattupuzha. However, Congress plans to subject Joseph Vazhakkan, an in depth confidant of Ramesh Chennithala, or Mathew Kuzhalnadan, a nominee of KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran. “Whatever may be the final decision, the seat-sharing process will be concluded on Sunday,” stated a Joseph faction chief.

Meanwhile, protests proceed to brew amongst Congress employees in Kottayam for awarding Ettumanoor seat to Joseph. A bit of Youth Congress employees beneath the aegis of Ettumanoor Block Youth Congress committee staged a sit-in protest in entrance of the Kottayam District Congress Committee (DCC) workplace on Saturday.

According to them, not solely did the undivided KC(M) lose the earlier two polls from Ettumanoor, however the Joseph faction has no affect right here.However, Joseph camp countered the allegation stating their victory in Athirampuzha division of the Kottayam district panchayat within the earlier native physique elections.