Kerala Congress(M) leader Jose K Mani resigns as RS member

Kerala Congress(M) leader Jose K Manihas resigned as a member of Rajya Sabha, won with the supportof the opposition UDF, amid strong indications that he wouldfight the coming assembly polls as an LDF candidate.

Mani said on Saturday that he submitted the resignationto Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu in New Delhi onFriday.

Talking to reporters in Palakkad, Mani, son of lateKerala Congress stalwart and former minister K M Mani, said hequit the seat “for upholding morality in political life.” The Kerala Congress (M)-led by Jose K Mani had joined theCPI(M)-led LDF after a split in the party following a riftbetween factions led by him and senior leader P J Jospeh.

As a new partner in the LDF, the KC(M) made its presencefelt in central Kerala districts, including Kottayam, Idukkiand Pathanamthitta, winning many wards in the recently heldlocal body elections in the state.

Asked whether he would fight the coming Assembly polls,he said there was still months to go for it and the decisionon this candidature would be taken only after discussions inthe LDF and the party.

While ending his partys decades old ties with theCongress-led alliance in October 2019, Jose had said he wouldquit his Rajya Sabha membership, won with the support of theUDF.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by The Federal staff and is auto-published from a syndicated feed.)