KC-M seeks disqualification of George as MLA

Cracking down on its dissident MLA and former government Chief Whip P C George, Kerala Congress (M) today sought to disqualify him as a legislator for his alleged anti-party activities.
A letter in this regard was submitted to Assembly Speaker N Sakthan by Government Chief Whip Thomas Unniyadan, KC-M sources said.
George had been openly criticising the UDF leaders, including Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and leaders of KC-M, following which he was removed as party Vice-Chairman and chief whip in April last. He had also put up a candidate against the UDF candidate in the recent Aruvikkara bypoll.
In the letter to the Speaker, the party complained that George had worked against the ruling Congress-led UDF candidate in the by-election.

The decision to move against George was taken at a high-powered committee of Kerala Congress (M) headed by State Finance Minister K M Mani.
KC-M, the third largest partner in the ruling front with nine MLAs, had demanded only George's removal from the chief whip post while he wanted the party to expel him so that he could revive his faction Kerala Congress (Secular) and continue to be a part of UDF as a separate partner, without attracting the anti-defection law.
But Mani was not in favour of keeping George in the front as a separate partner and wanted him to continue in the party by accepting the punishment.