Accept KC(M) as separate block in Assembly: party to Speaker

Kottayam (Ker), Sept 20 (PTI) In a setback to Congressled opposition UDF, Kerala Congress(M), which recently severedits over 30-year-old ties with the front, today submitted aletter to the Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan, requesting him toaccept the party as a separate block in the state Assembly. The letter was signed by party chief whip RoshyAugustine, and Legislative party secretary Mons Joseph, MLA. The party, which contested as a UDF partner in the May 16assembly polls, has six MLAs in the 140-member Assembly. The decision of Kerala Congress(M) to sit as a separateblock is a setback for the UDF. Its number in the Assemblywill now come down to 41. In its camp at Charalkkunnu in August, the KC(M), led byformer Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani, had announced it’sdecision to severe its ties with UDF, of which it was a partfor more than three decades and that it’s party MLAs would sitas a separate block in the assembly. "Based on this political decision, we have submitted theletter to the Speaker, requesting him to accept the KeralaCongress (M) as a separate block in the Assembly. "We have requested the Speaker to make necessaryarrangements in this regard before the commencement of theAssembly session on September 26," Mons Joseph said. The party had also said it would be "equidistant" fromthe UDF, ruling CPI-M-led LDF and BJP-led NDA.PTI COR TGB APRRCJ