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PC Thomas-led faction leaves NDA ahead of Kerala Assembly election
Thomas helped the NDA register the NDA its maiden electoral victory in Kerala in 2004. His faction contested on four constituencies in the last election, but this time, the BJP was not ready to part with a single seat.
The political landscape in Kerala witnessed more rumbling after PC Tomas-led party left the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Thomas' faction, which broke off from the Kerala Congress, took the decision late on Tuesday night after not getting a single seat for contesting in the upcoming Assembly election.
Thomas served as Union minister of state for law and justice in Atal Bihari Vajpayee government from 2003 to 2004. He has also been a six-term Lok Sabha MP from 1989 to 2009 from Muvattupuzha in Kerala.
Thomas said in the last election, his faction contested on four constituencies, but this time, the BJP was not ready to part with a single seat.
Thomas further said that his faction will merge with Kerala Congress (Joseph) and will become part of the Congress-led United Democratic Front or UDF.
Thomas helped the NDA register the NDA its maiden electoral victory in Kerala in 2004. In the previous five elections, Thomas was a candidate of the Kerala Congress (Mani), an ally of the Congress-led UDF.
However, soon after the May 2001 assembly polls, he fell out with his mentor, state revenue minister KM Mani.
Mani was apparently of the view that Thomas stood in the way of his son and political heir Jose K Mani's future.
Finally, Thomas moved out of Mani's stable and formed the Indian Federal Democratic Party (IFDP), pledging support to the NDA.
Last week, former Congress leader PC Chacko quit the party, alleging group interest in deciding the party's candidates for the Assembly polls. He joined the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Tuesday.
The election for the 140-member Kerala assembly in 14 districts will be held in a single phase on April 6. The counting of votes will take place on May 2.
