The ruling CPI (M)-led Left Democratic Front  (LDF) in Kerala has formally inducted the Jose K Mani group of the Kerala Congress (M), which had lately severed its over 3-decade-long bind with the UDF spearheaded by the Congress and joined hands with the left parties. LDF convener A Vijayaraghavan announced the decision after a meeting of the Front leaders and stated the Jose K Mani group has become part of the LDF, which will further weaken the UDF which has been reduced to a coalition of two or three parties, he told to media persons.

The Jose K Mani faction has become the eleventh coalition party of the left front. With the local body election expected to be taken place in December and the Assembly polls due next year, the Left Democratic Front decided to roll out the red carpet for the Jose faction, looking the Christian votes in the central Kerala belt. The induction of the faction will enhance the front's chances in the local body election and make certain the continuation of the government after the upcoming assembly polls, as stated by Vijayaraghavan. He added the Jose faction has not set any pre-conditions and they made it clear earlier itself. He said matters pertaining to seat sharing in the assembly elections were not taken up for discussions today and will be discussed later. Jose K Mani had announced his party decision to part ways with the UDF and join hands with the left front on October 14. He had also said he would give up his Rajya Sabha membership, won with the support of the UDF.

The LDF had staged huge agitations against former finance minister KM Mani, levelling serious charges of corruption in the bar bribery case and had even tried to physically stop him from presenting the state budget in the assembly in March 2015. The Jose faction's issues with the UDF leadership exaggerated in June this year after it was ousted from the Congress-led Front in connection with the struggle over the Kottayam district panchayat chief post.

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