In a major setback to the Left Democratic Front (LDF), R Selvaraj, a CPI(M) MLA from the Neyyattinkara Assembly segment in Thiruvnananthapuram district, has resigned. He also resigned from the district committee of the party.
Quickly reacting, the district committee of the CPI(M) expelled him from the party.
Selvaraj’s resignation has dampened the prospects of the party in the crucial byelection in the Piravom Assembly segment in Ernakulam district, scheduled on March 17.
With his resignation, the strength of the LDF in the Assembly has fallen to 67 in a House of 140.
Selvaraj personally handed over the resignation to the Speaker in the morning on Friday. The speaker accepted the resignation and informed the Election Commission.
Later, speaking to the media at Neyyattinkara, Selvaraj said he had decided to put in his resignation pained by factionalism in the party which had been prevalent since more than two decades. He categorically stated that he would not join the UDF. “It will be equal to suicide,” he added.
Selvaraj had defeated Congress strongman Thampanoor Ravi by a margin of 6,702 votes in the Neyyattinkara constituency in the 2011 Assembly elections. He also represented Parassala in the 2006 election.
In 2011, he was shifted to Neyyattinkara against his wishes. He wanted to contest from the Parassala constituency, but the party nominated Anavoor Nagappan, a state committee member who was defeated by Congress’ AT George with a slender lead of 507 votes.
A section of the CPI(M) leaders alleged that Selvaraj had a ‘big hand’ in the defeat of Nagappan. He had come in for attack in party conferences at all levels and was not even included as a delegate in the recently held CPI(M) state conference.
The CPI(M) stated that Selvaraj was bribed by the chief minister to save his ministry, which has a lead of just two members in the state Assembly.
