THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Roshy Augustine MLA said P J Joseph will be the party leader and Jose K Mani will be the chairman. The feud in the Kerala Congress has intensified after the state committee called by Jose K Mani unanimously elected him as its new chairman. Joseph will continue as the parliamentary party leader and will not ask to change him, he said.

Roshy said C F Thomas was not present in the committee and did not stay away from it deliberately. The chairman will convene a meet to choose the party leader. Meantime, Jose K Mani was selected constitutionally, said Thomas Chazhikadan.

There will be a legal battle between the two with the split of the party after months of tussle witnessed in the Kerala Congress. Jose K Mani was selected as the new chairman after calling a state committee.