Thiruvananthapuram: Ahead of the Assembly polls in Kerala, Mani C Kappan, who was expelled by the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), on Monday announced a new party.
Naming the new party as the Nationalist Congress Kerala (NCK), Kappan said it will become a partner of the opposition Congress-led UDF in Kerala.
Kappan is the president of the party.
Kappan said the UDF leadership has given an assurance to him that the NCK would be accommodated in the UDF fold before the polls.
The party would also seek three seats in the Assembly elections, he said.
Earlier, Kappan had rejected an invitation by KPCC president Mullappally Ramachandran to join the Congress party.
Kappan was expelled from the NCP, a partner of the Kerala’s ruling LDF, on February 15 after he announced his decision to part ways with the CPI(M)-led alliance and join the Congress-led Front.
He and his supporters had attended the ‘Aiswarya Kerala’ Yatra led by senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala when it reached Pala in Kottayam district last week.
Kappan had won the Pala seat as an LDF candidate in the bypoll held in 2019.
Kappan revolted against the state LDF leadership following the move by the CPI(M) to hand over Pala Assembly seat to the Kerala Congress (M)-led by Jose K Mani which recently joined the ruling front after snapping its decades old alliance with the UDF.
Also read: After BJP, now KCR appropriates Narasimha Rao’s legacy, fields his daughter in MLC polls
What is restricting India’s progress is hypocrisy in perceiving “Freedom”. The people wanting limitless freedom to do whatever, the media (freedom of press), freedom to pay or not pay taxes always expecting the Government to wield the magic wand and solve all problems. Those who do not have any direct responsibilities always have an “advice” for the Government, like the consultant who mostly work in silos. All this while nobody wants to give a free hand to an elected Government. If you don’t like the way the Indian Government is elected let us change the way. Firstly, let us limit the number of political parties. It is ridiculous to have 100s of political parties and expect one to garner anywhere near 50% of votes.
Let us not stretch our freedom for narrow and individual aims – media included