Kerala Congress
| Kerala Congress | |
|---|---|
| Leader | K. M. Mani[1] |
| Chairperson | K. M. Mani[1] |
| Founded | 1964 |
| Headquarters | State Committee Office, Near Star Theatre Junction,Kottayam South Kerala.[2] |
| Newspaper | Pratichaya |
| Alliance | United Democratic Front |
| Seats in Lok Sabha | 1 |
| Politics of India Political parties Elections |
|
The Kerala Congress is a recognized State political party in Kerala, India. The party was founded by K. M. George in October 1964 after a group of legislators decided to break from the Indian National Congress. The party has its roots in the Indian National Congress and is traditionally dominated by the farmers in the state, mostly the Syrian Christian minority and with an important presence of Nairs; however leaders from all communities are represented. The main source of support is the farming community in Kottayam, Ettumanoor, Athirampuzha, Puthupally, Pambadi, Changanacherry, Kanjirappally, Poonjar, Erattupetta, Palai, Bharananganam, Kozhuvanal, Uzhavoor, Kuravilangad, Kaduthuruthy, Talayolaparambu, Vaikom, Kottarakkara, Punalur, Pathanapuram, Adoor, Pandalam, Konni, Pathanamthitta, Kozhencherry, Aranmula, Ranni, Mallapally, Thiruvalla, Chengannur, Kuttanad, Peermade, Vandiperiyar, Kumily, Vagamon, Kattappana, Udumbanchola, Rajakkad, Idukki, Thodupuzha, Kothamangalam, Kalloorkkad, Muvattupuzha, Koothattukulam, Elanji, Piravom, and some other regions in Malabar (such as the settler community in Wayanad and Tellicherry).
Lok sabha constituencies which have lent support to the party through the years include Muvattupuzha, Kottayam, Mavelikkara, and Idukki.
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[edit] Splits and Factions during 1973-2010
The Kerala Congress has suffered severe divisions and several parallel outfits have emerged, all claiming the name 'Kerala Congress'. Factions included the parent under P. J. Joseph, Kerala Congress (Mani) under K. M. Mani, Kerala Congress (Balakrishna Pillai) under R. Balakrishna Pillai, and Kerala Congress (Jacob) under T. M. Jacob. The group that had retained the official recognition by the Election Commission of India to the name is the grouping led by P. J. Joseph (which is informally called the Joseph group)[3].
[edit] Union of Mani and Joseph factions
In an important development in the politics of Kerala, P. J. Joseph announced on 30 April 2010 the intention of his group to leave the Left Democratic Front (LDF), of which his group had been a constituent for two decades, and merge with the group led by K. M. Mani.[4][5] K. M. Mani reciprocated shortly thereafter, welcoming the exit of the Joseph group from the LDF.[6] This would reunite the two factions which had split in 1979 to form a single Kerala Congress, making it the largest constituent of the United Democratic Front (UDF) after the Indian National Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League.
Chairman: K. M. Mani MLA
Working Chairman: P. J. Joseph MLA
Deputy Chairman: C. F. Thomas MLA
Vice Chairman: P. C. George MLA
[edit] Various factions
Few years back, P. C. Thomas's Indian Federal Democratic Party, which split from the Mani group, merged with the Joseph group. In October 2009, Kerala Congress (Secular) under P. C. George, which split from the Joseph group, merged with the Mani group. Kerala Congress (Socialist), which split from the Kerala Congress (Secular), merged with the Janata Dal (Secular)[7]. A section of the Indian Federal Democratic Party under M. P. George retains its own cadre. When the Joseph group merged with the Mani group, a faction under P. C. Thomas dissented and stayed under the LDF, forming the Kerala Congress (Thomas).
There was earlier a move for a United Kerala Congress from Kerala Congress (Mani), Kerala Congress (Secular), Kerala Congress (Balakrishna Pillai), and Kerala Congress (Jacob), but this was unsuccessful. Later Kerala Congress (Secular) merged with Kerala Congress (Mani).
[edit] Prominent Leaders of Kerala Congress(M)post mergers of KC(J) & KC (Secular)
List of Kerala Congress leaders
- K. M. Mani formerly in KC(M)
- P. J. Joseph formerly in KC(J)
- C. F. Thomas formerly in KC(M)
- P. C. George formerly in KC(Secular)
- Jose K. Mani formerly in KC(M)
- Victor T. Thomas formerly in KC(M)
- K. Francis George formerly in KC(J)
- Chev. Dr. T. U. Kuruvila formerly in KC(J)
- Dr. K. C Joseph formerly in KC(J)
- Mons Joseph formerly in KC(J)
- T. S. John formerly in KC(Secular)
- Thomas Chazhikadan formerly in KC(M)
- Joseph M. Puthussery formerly in KC(M)
- Thomas Unniyadan formerly in KC(M)
- Roshy Augustin formerly in KC(M)
- Antony Raju formerly in KC(J)
[edit] Current groups other than the united body
- Kerala Congress (B) led by R. Balakrishna Pillai & son Minister K. B. Ganesh Kumar
- Kerala Congress (Jacob) led by Johnny Nellore & Anoop Jacob, son of T. M. Jacob
- Kerala Congress (Anti-merger Group) led by P. C. Thomas & Surendran Pillai
[edit] Status of Kerala Congress during 2011 Kerala Assembly elections
Both P. J. Joseph and P. C. Thomas claimed the party symbol Bicycle and party name Kerala Congress. Registration of the name Kerala Congress was temporarily frozen by the election commission as the arguments were inconclusive[8]. The Joseph group which united with the Mani group was asked to adopt the name of Kerala Congress (M) and its symbol Two leaves. The Thomas group was allotted the name Kerala Congress (Anti-merger Group) and the symbol Chair.
[edit] References
- ^ a b http://www.eci.gov.in/mis-Political_Parties/organisational_election_state_parties.pdf
- ^ http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/ElectoralLaws/OrdersNotifications/Symbols_Notification17.09.2010.pdf
- ^ Kerala Legislature. "Kerala legislative assembly". Niyamasabha.org. http://niyamasabha.org/codes/pparty1.htm. Retrieved 2010-09-26.
- ^ "Setback for Kerala govt as Christian party part ways, NDTV, 1 May 2010". Ndtv.com. http://www.ndtv.com/news/india/setback-for-kerala-govt-as-christian-party-part-ways-22323.php. Retrieved 2010-09-26.
- ^ "Kerala Congress(J) pulls out of LDF, The Hindu, 30 Apr. 2010". Beta.thehindu.com. 2010-04-30. http://beta.thehindu.com/news/states/kerala/article418680.ece. Retrieved 2010-09-26.
- ^ "UDF consent not needed: Mani". Hinduonnet.com. http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2010050157630100.htm&date=2010/05/01/&prd=th&. Retrieved 2010-09-26.
- ^ "Kerala Congress (Socialist) to merge with Janata Dal (S) faction". Hinduonnet.com. http://www.hinduonnet.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=2010040161620500.htm&date=2010/04/01/&prd=th&. Retrieved 2010-09-26.
- ^ "KC-order". election commission. 2011-03-25. http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/ElectoralLaws/KCOrder_24032011.pdf. Retrieved 2011-04-06.
