Kerala Cong rebel expelled for not withdrawing nomination

A confrontation between Kerala Congress leader K. Karunakaran and the party high command is imminent with the expulsion of his loyalist by h...

A confrontation between Kerala Congress leader K. Karunakaran and the party high command is imminent with the expulsion of his loyalist by his own son.

KPCC chief K. Muraleedharan, son of Karunakaran, expelled Kodoth Govindan Nair from Congress for not withdrawing from the fray for the Rajya Sabha elections. Nair is a Karunakaran loyalist and his nomination was seconded by 20 MLAs from Karunakaran’s faction.

The two official candidates are former KPCC chief Thennala Balakrishna Pillai and AICC general secretary Vayalar Ravi. With the latest development, the end game between the Congress high command and Karunakaran, who is said to have 27 MLAs with him. The Congress would need 36 for each of its official candidates to win.

‘‘We are distressed to note that you have not withdrawn your nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections. This act of yours attracts disciplinary action. Therefore, you are hereby expelled from the party for six years with immediate effect,’’ Muraleedharan wrote to Nair.

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