The Janadhipathya Samrakshana Samithi (JSS), a constituent of Kerala’s Congress-led ruling UDF, has split over the decision of party supremo KR Gouri, popularly known as Gouriamma, to leave the coalition. Party president AN Rajan Babu, leader of the rebels, said on Sunday that they would continue to remain in the UDF under the name of JSS.
Though talks about a split in the 20-year-old JSS had been there for the past several months, it became a reality on Sunday at the end of its three-day sixth State conference in Alappuzha which formally decided on quitting the UDF. Gouriamma had founded the JSS in 1994 after her expulsion from the CPI(M) for alleged anti-party activities.
On Sunday, the State meet “unanimously” adopted a resolution which announced the party’s decision to quit the UDF as it was not getting proper recognition in it. No decision has yet been taken on joining hands with the CPI(M)-led Opposition lDF. However, Gouriamma, also general secretary, said her party would work for the people standing independently.
Making the split obvious, the rebels led by Rajan Babu stayed away from the conference on its concluding day, Sunday, and he told newsmen that presently there was no situation that warranted parting ways with the UDF. “We will continue to be known as JSS and those who have objections can approach the Election Commission,” he said.
“Gouriamma’s single-point agenda now is to go back to the CPI(M),” said Rajan Babu. The fascism of the CPI(M) which led to Gouriamma’s expulsion 20 years back had only worsened, he said. At the same time, Gouriamma was behaving with the same kind of fascist attitude — of which she was a victim — towards her critics, he added.
Speculations were rife for the past several months that Gouriamma was preparing to return to the CPI(M) but she had consistently denied such reports. Several top CPI(M) leaders had visited Gouriamma, now 94 years old, in the past two years but she had been maintaining that these have been mere courtesy calls. The JSS, which used to have a big presence in Alappuzha district, had failed to send even a single member to the legislative Assembly in the 2011 election.
Gouriamma herself had been defeated by her CPI rival by a margin of over 18,000 votes. On Sunday, she blamed the Congress for this. Gouriamma had just days ago said that feuds within the UDF had started almost seven years ago and that there was no point in continuing in the coalition. She has been highly critical of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and other Congress and UDF leaders of late. Observers have interpreted her words as indications of her plan to go back to the CPI(M).
State that Gouriamma was presently under the control of certain CPI(M) leaders, Rajan Babu said, “Those who openly air their opinions in the party are being threatened by her.” He added that those who had participated in the State conference were not actual JSS activists. Another prominent JSS leader KK Shaju also is against the idea of quitting the UDF.
However, Gouriamma and her supporters claim that the decision to leave the UDF was first taken at a party meet presided over by none other than Rajan Babu. They allege that the Rajan Babu faction’s present decision to stay on in the UDF is the result of some unholy understanding between them and a caucus within the front.
State Congress president Ramesh Chennithala said in Kasaragod that the JSS was free to decide whether to stay on in the UDF or leave it. However, there would be no more discussions in the UDF over this, he said. UDF convener PP Thankachan said that the JSS men who wanted to stay on in the UDF would be given protection.