New Janata Party to Emerge in Kerala; Janata Dal (S) Faction to Announce New Party on November 2
Thiruvananthapuram: A new Janata Party is set to emerge in Kerala. The formation of the Indian Socialist Janata Dal will be officially announced on November 2 in Ernakulam. Leaders of the Janata Dal (S) faction are establishing this new entity, completely severing ties with their national leadership, which has aligned with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). The decision to form the new party was approved during a state leadership meeting held yesterday.
The Janata Dal (S) in Kerala has been grappling with an unusual political dilemma. Nationally and in Karnataka, the party is allied with the BJP, while in Kerala, it is a constituent of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF). Despite repeated declarations to break away from the national party, technical hurdles had prevented such a move until now.
A significant challenge for the Janata Dal (S) faction involved two of its Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs), Mathew T. Thomas and K. Krishnankutty, both of whom won elections on the party’s ticket and are currently part of the LDF government. Mathew T. Thomas also serves as the state president of the Janata Dal (S). Forming a new party or merging with another could have potentially led to their disqualification under the anti-defection law. The current strategic move aims to avert this risk.
The new political entity has already completed its registration under the name Indian Socialist Janata Dal. Efforts are also underway with the Election Commission to secure “a single leaf within a wheel” as its official election symbol. The party’s flag will feature a distinctive design with green at the top and white at the bottom. To further mitigate the defection threat, Mathew T. Thomas and K. Krishnankutty will not assume state-level office-bearer positions in the initial phase of the party’s operations. The individual who registered the party is slated to become its founding president.
Discussions are ongoing, with Mathew T. Thomas expected to assume the party presidency after the conclusion of the current legislative assembly’s term. Existing office-bearers are anticipated to continue in their roles, and considerations are being made to include new individuals in leadership positions. Earlier proposals for a merger with the Janata Party led by M.P. Veerendra Kumar’s son, Shreyams Kumar, did not materialize. The establishment of the Indian Socialist Janata Dal is expected to resolve the long-standing ideological contradiction of the Janata Dal (S) being simultaneously allied with opposing political fronts at both national and state levels.