LDF offers vacant Rajya Sabha seat to 'new' ally JD(U)

Thiruvananthapuram: With only three days left for filing of nominations for one vacancy in the Rajya Sabha from Kerala, the ruling LDF on Friday offered the seat to Janata Dal-United led by media baron M.P. Veerendra Kumar.

The Left Democratic Front, led by the Communist Party of India-Marxist, took a decision to offer the seat to Kumar, a friend-turned-foe-turned-friend, at a meeting here.

Speaking to the media here, Kumar said: "We thank the LDF for considering our request to be included as an LDF ally. Our party's parliamentary board will decide on the candidate."

The last date for filing nomination is March 12.

Kumar and his party remained part of the LDF till 2009, but shifted to the UDF camp after he was denied his Lok Sabha seat of Kozhikode.

Kumar's party nominee was given a Cabinet post when the Oommen Chandy government assumed office in 2011. His JD-U ended its alliance with the Congress-led United Democratic Front as well in December 2017.

Earlier, Kumar was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 2016 on a UDF ticket.

Kumar lost the 2014 Lok Sabha polls by over one lakh votes and since then he was unhappy with the UDF too. However, the UDF kept him happy by offering him a Rajya Sabha seat.

The JD-U leader suffered a jolt when Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar decided to support the NDA, forcing him to bid goodbye along with Sharad Yadav.

At present, the JD-U has no legislator in the Kerala Assembly.