Congress veteran K.V. Thomas appeared to have crossed the Rubicon on Friday. Mr. Thomas seemed headed to the 23rd Congress of the CPI(M) venue to attend a seminar on challenges to federalism, allegedly denying a diktat purportedly from Congress national president Sonia Gandhi herself.
The Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) reportedly felt that Mr. Thomas is in breach of party discipline. Sashi Tharoor, MP, and Ramesh Chennithala, MLA, had dodged the CPI(M) invitation after the KPCC urged them to skip the event.
Subsequently, Mr. Tharoor and Mr. Thomas sought the advice of the party high command, which counselled them to follow the KPCC's direction.
Mr. Thomas seemed defiant. He told reporters in Kochi that his destination was Kannur. "Where else could I go?" he asked somewhat cryptically. His comment was interpreted by some Congress quarters as a challenge to goad his political tribe in banishing him.
Several leaders, including Raj Mohan Unnithan, MP, had furiously denounced Mr. Thomas' "cosying up" to the CPI(M).
However, the KPCC distanced itself from calls to expel Mr. Thomas from the party. An insider said the AICC would deal with the issue. The All India Congress Committee (AICC) had made clear on Thursday that it would abide by the KPCC's decision.
A KPCC insider said Mr. Thomas’ final break with the party would happen on Saturday if he turned up for the seminar. “His continuation in the party looked increasingly precarious,” he said.
He said the presence of Congress leaders at the CPI(M) venue in Kannur would be tantamount to disrespecting the families of 43 party “martyrs felled by communists.” The Periya murders remained stark in the Congress’ memory.
Worryingly for the Congress, Mr. Thomas has repeatedly claimed to have a firm base in the electorally decisive Latin Catholic community in Kochi.
The KPCC was reportedly apprehensive that Mr. Thomas' departure could arguably lessen the party's electoral prospects in the upcoming Thrikkakara Assembly by-election in Ernakulam.
