NCP expels Mani C Kappan for taking part in Cong-led UDF rally

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP),a key partner in Kerala's ruling LDF, on Monday expelled MLAMani C Kappan from the party, a day after he participated inarally organised by the Congress-led UDF in his constituencyPala.

In a statement, the NCP said its national presidentSharad Pawar has expelled Kappan from the party with immediateeffect for his ''anti-party activities.'' A faction in the state NCP, led by Kappan, on Saturdayhad announced its decision to part ways with theCPI(M)-led alliance and join the Congress-led Front.

He and his supporters attended the 'Aiswarya Kerala'Yatra led by senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala when itreached Pala in Kottayam district on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Kappan, who won the Pala seat as an LDFcandidate in the bypoll held in 2019, on Monday constituted a10-member high power committee as part of his efforts to forma new political party in the state.

His supporters said the first meeting of thecommittee decided to form a new political party.

The meeting also decided to open a state committeeoffice at Thiruvananthapuram and district committee offices at14 districts of the state.Steps to register the party with theElection Commission would be taken after completing allformalities, they said.

Kappan revolted against the state LDF leadershipfollowing the move by the CPI(M) to hand over Pala Assemblyseat to Kerala Congress (M)-led by Jose K Mani which recentlyjoined the ruling front after severing its decades oldalliance with the UDF.

The NCP Kerala unit is headed by veteran leader T PPeethambaran Master.

Senior party leader and MLA A K Saseendran is theparty's representative in the LDF government.

Saseendran, who is the state Transport Minister, hadcondemned the move by Kappan to join the UDF, alleging that hedid injustice to the people of Pala who elected him in thebypoll.PTI TGB BNADMINISTRATOR BNADMINISTRATOR