Kochi: The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), a key partner in Kerala's ruling LDF, on Monday expelled MLA Mani C Kappan from the party, a day after he participated in a rally organised by the Congress-led UDF in his constituency Pala.
In a statement, the NCP said its national president Sharad Pawar has expelled Kappan from the party with immediate effect for his "anti-party activities."
A faction in the state NCP, led by Kappan, on Saturday had announced its decision to part ways with the CPI(M)-led alliance and join the Congress-led Front.
Kappan and his supporters attended the 'Aiswarya Kerala' Yatra led by senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala when it reached Pala in Kottayam district on Sunday.
Meanwhile, Kappen, who won the Pala seat as an LDF candidate in the bypoll held in 2019, on Monday constituted a 10-member high power committee as part of his efforts to form a new political party in the state.
His supporters said the first meeting of the committee decided to form a new political party.
The meeting also decided to open a state committee office at Thiruvananthapuram and district committee offices at 14 districts of the state. Steps to register the party with the Election Commission would be taken after completing all formalities, they said.
Kappan revolted against the state LDF leadership following the move by the CPI(M) to hand over Pala Assembly seat to Kerala Congress (M)-led by Jose K Mani which recently joined the ruling front after severing its decades old alliance with the UDF.
The NCP Kerala unit is headed by veteran leader T P Peethambaran Master.
Senior party leader and MLA A K Saseendran is the party's representative in the LDF government.
Saseendran, who is the state Transport Minister, had condemned the move by Kappen to join the UDF, alleging that he did injustice to the people of Pala who elected him in the bypoll.
