Kerala   

JD(S), Congress hold talks

KOCHI: The M.P. Veerendrakumar-headed Janata Dal (Secular), which until recently had been part of the Left Democratic Front (LDF), came one step closer to becoming a constituent of the United Democratic Front (UDF) with its leaders holding ‘positive’ talks with Congress leaders here on Sunday.

Mr. Veerendrakumar and his party colleagues George Verghese and K. Krishnankutty had the first ‘formal’ contact with Congress State president Ramesh Chennithala and Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy at a closed-door discussion.

Emerging from the talks, a beaming Mr. Veerendrakumar told mediapersons that the talks were positive and that he was very happy with the discussions. He said his party had decided to totally delink from the LDF.

Mr. Chennithala, who termed the talks fruitful, said he would report its outcome to the KPCC executive set to meet on August 7. It would also be discussed with leaders of other UDF constituents and presented before the UDF forum formally for its approval.

Mr. Chandy said the talks were held without any conditions. He recalled that the UDF had got the JD(S)’s support in the Lok Sabha election and he hoped the cooperation would continue. He said every constituent got the ‘same consideration’ in the UDF and that nobody would be necked out of it.

Mr. Veerendrakumar, who was asked about the possibility of an ideological clash between his party and other constituents of the UDF in the future, said parties with differing views on certain issues could cohabit within a coalition.

Asked whether he was sad for having left the LDF camp, Mr. Veerendrakumar said politics was a collection of ‘responses and decisions.’ He had felt hurt when the party was ‘chucked out’ of the LDF, but no longer. He also said there were no discussions over a possible seat allocation in the coming Assembly election.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

JD(S), Congress hold talks
Eco-friendly transport
Panel to study fee structure
Kalabhavan Mani at the helm
Little to count on for EPF pensioners
Right track
Remembering the valiant
Tips on safe Net practices Law & order
Today at Sabarimala
‘Illam Nira’ held in Guruvayur temple
Niraputhari festival at Sabarimala temple today
Probe into PDP links a farce, says BJP
U.S. citizen quarantined
‘Proposed trade pact will affect State’

Copyright © 2009, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu