THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: PJ Joseph faction forges new moves to bring PC Thomas to UDF fold. Sources say that if the court verdict on the Jose faction’s symbol is against them then both factions could merge. Presently, the only bracketless Kerala Congress is the PC Thomas faction which is currently in the NDA camp. Leaders in P J Joseph faction holds the view that if the merger happens they can claim that their party is the real Kerala Congress.

If that is the case, then both parties will merge before assembly polls. Discussions at unofficial levels are going on. Kerala Kaumudi has earlier reported that P J Joseph who has lost his face with EC’s decision to allot party symbol to Jose faction is planning new moves. But as EC’s decision was stayed by the court and no discussions held after that. For Joseph, to retrieve the name Kerala Congress(M) and the party symbol is a prestige issue. Otherwise it will lead to other legal tangles. In order to overcome the eventuality of losing party symbol and name, Joseph is planning merger with PC Thomas faction and thus to become the ‘real Kerala Congress.’

Sources said that PJ Joseph is likely to offer Pala seat to PC Thomas faction in return for merger and UDF induction. On Jose faction’s absence, Joseph faction will claim for Pala seat in UDF and they plan to give that seat to PC Thomas faction.

Both factions has already conducted unofficial discussions. But PC Thomas is puzzled over leaving NDA. Two weeks before, Thomas has asked Joseph faction to come to NDA fold but for Joseph joining NDA is suicidal. This led to a deadlock in their discussions and thus talks were halted for a while. Meanwhile leaders of Joseph group say that talks will continue as polls are around the corner. In order to woo PC Thomas, Joseph group has decided to give even Pala assembly seat to him but they aslo claim that final decision would be taken only after the court verdict.

However, P C Thomas has told Keralakaumudi online that no official discussions had happened yet. “Joseph group is only concerned about the name Kerala Congress (M). If Joseph doesn’t gets that name then Jose K Mani will join with LDF and will take action against legislators standing with Joseph using defection provisions. Therefore their first priority will be Kerala Congress(M) and not the so called united Kerala Congress,” P C Thomas said.