UDF legislator George resigns from Kerala assembly

Kerala's ruling United Democratic Front's estranged legislator P.C. George on Thursday submitted his resignation from the assembly to Speaker N. Sakthan.

George, 65, a six-time legislator, is currently suspended from the Kerala Congress (Mani) for his constant attack on party supremo and now former state Finance Minister K.M. Mani.

Accepting the handwritten letter from George, Sakthan said he will look into the rules and then take a decision.

The Kerala Congress (Mani) is the third biggest ally of the Congress-led Oommen Chandy government and has nine legislators.

His resignation comes at a time when George is facing the heat as the case for getting him disqualified is currently on and the speaker is to give his ruling on Friday.

George, who hails from the rubber plantation area of Poonjar in Kottayam district, began his political career through the student movement in the early 1970s.

He became a legislator for the first time in 1980 and again won when the assembly elections were held two years later after the government fell. He lost the 1987 polls and did not contest the 1992 elections.

Since 1996, George has never lost from the Poonjar assembly constituency.

For close to four decades, George had an intense rivalry with Mani. In 2010, the two ended their acrimony, but things changed this year and George began his attacks on Mani.

From 1980 till 2003, George was a member of the Kerala Congress (Joseph) until he was ousted by his party chairman and now State Water Resources Minister P.J. Joseph.

In 2003, he formed his own party Kerala Congress (Secular) and contested the 2006 polls as an ally of the Left Democratic Front. Mid-way, he shifted to the UDF camp and in 2010 merged his party with Kerala Congress (Mani).

"Now I will be joining my old party that has already been reactivated and we will work with the Left opposition," said George.

Kerala Congress (Secular) came out successful in 32 divisions in last week's civic polls and was an ally of the Left in the election.