Joseph�s expulsion in the morning; mergence in the afternoon

KOTTAYAM: An unusual political drama is going to be staged in Kottayam district today with the going off of two separate and notable meetings�one of expulsion and the other of merger�of a party in the same day.

In the first meeting of the Joseph group proposed to be held at Public Library Hall here in the morning, its Chairman P J Joseph will be officially expelled from the party for his anti-party activities. The meeting will be convened under the leadership of P C Thomas and vice chairman Scaria Thomas. A resolution will also be passed that promises the partys presence in the ruling Left Front.

In the afternoon the second meeting of the party will be convened at the party�s state committee office. And here the party chairman and former minister P J Joseph will lead the meeting where he will officially declare the quitting of the party from the LDF side and its mergence with the Kerala Congress led by K M Mani in the UDF side.

It is believed that the first meeting in the morning under P C Thomas is to formally create a smokescreen that the �quitted leaders who have no moral right to represent that party in the afternoon�s meeting. The ousting out of P J Joseph and his supporters will be justified by driving home the reason that the decision to merge with Mani�s party is taken without discussion in the party committee. Most probably seven district presidents of the party may attend the meeting.