KV Thomas plans to campaign for LDF in Kerala bypoll

Congress leaders in Kerala have completely ignored and isolated me during the discussions for the party candidate in Thrikkakara. Let them expel me,”

Kochi: Congress leader K V Thomas has challenged his party to expel him saying that he would announce his plans to campaign for the CPM candidate in Thrikkakara on Monday.

“They (Congress leaders in Kerala) have completely ignored and isolated me during the discussions for the party candidate in Thrikkakara. Let them expel me,” he told . “I’m holding a press conference at my home in Thoppumpady on May 9 (Monday) to announce my plans to campaign for the Left candidate,” said Thomas, who was removed from all party posts for attending a CPM seminar at its 23rd Party Congress in Kannur last month.

“The disciplinary committee headed by AK Antony retained me as an AICC member. Despite that, the KPCC did not invite me to any of its discussions on the selection of the Congress candidate in Thrikkakara. (VD) Satheesan says he talked to 40 senior Congress leaders, before recommending Uma.But he never bothered to call me. So, there’s no point in sticking with the Congress election campaign,” he said.

He said Uma, the Congress candidate in Thrikkakara, called him and his wife and said she would come and seek his blessings. “We told her that we would come and meet her, and there was no need for her to come to our house. But now I’m told that she has been restrained from talking or meeting us,” the 75-year-old leader, who served as a Union minister in Manmohan Singh’s second UPA government, said.

The CPM had invited Congress leaders Shashi Tharoor and Thomas to attend a seminar organised as part of its 23rd Party Congress last month (April 6-10) in Kannur. The topic of discussion was Centre-state relations. They were to share the stage with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin and his Kerala counterpart Pinarayi Vijayan. However, following KPCC President K Sudhakaran’s directive, Tharoor backed out from the conference while Thomas defied the party leadership and attended the event.