Former Union Minister KV Thomas expelled from Congress

Congress on Thursday expelled its rebel leader and former Union Minister KV Thomas on charges of anti-party activities, KPCC chief K Sudhakaran said. He said Thomas had been expelled from the team with the consent of the AICC.

According to party sources here, Sudhakaran made the announcement in Udaipur, Rajasthan, where a three-day ‘thinking camp’ of the Congress, an intelligence session, is starting from Friday.

The party took action against Thomas just hours after the veteran person shared the stage with CPI (M) leader and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in a by-election of the Left Party-led Front in Kochi.

The senior AICC member, who has been at loggerheads with the party’s state leadership, said on Wednesday that he would campaign for the ruling LDF candidate, Joe Joseph, in the upcoming by-elections in the Thrikkakara assembly constituency.

However, he reiterated that he would not leave the Congress. Speaking at a press conference in Kochi, he said, “I have always been a Congressman. I will not leave the Congress or join any other party. I am also participating in the LDF’s election campaign as a Congressman. ” He had earlier attended a seminar organized as part of the CPI (M) party congress in April, denying the party’s directives.