Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani has resigned as a member of Rajya Sabha, which he had won with the support of the opposition United Democratic Front (UDF) in Kerala. The move comes amid strong indications that he would fight the coming assembly polls as a candidate of the ruling Left Democratic Front (LDF).
Jose Mani said on Saturday that he submitted the resignation to Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu in New Delhi on Friday. Talking to reporters in Palakkad, Jose Mani, son of late Kerala Congress stalwart and former minister KM Mani, revealed that he quit the seat "for upholding morality in political life."
The Kerala Congress (M)-led by Jose K Mani had joined the CPI(M)-led LDF after a split in the party, following a rift between factions led by him and senior leader PJ Jospeh.
As a new partner in the LDF, Jose K Mani’s faction of KC(M) made its presence felt in central Kerala districts, including Kottayam, Idukki and Pathanamthitta, winning many wards in the recently held local body elections in the state. It was the first time that the LDF wins in the Pala municipality, a bastion of the UDF.
Asked whether he would fight the coming Assembly polls, he said there were still months for it and the decision on his candidature would be taken only after discussions in the LDF and the party.
While ending his party's decades old ties with the Congress-led alliance last year, Jose had said that he would quit his Rajya Sabha membership, which he had won with the support of the UDF.
(With PTI inputs)