Speaker recognise KC(M) as separate block in Assembly

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Congress(M), which severed its over 30-year-old ties with the Congress led UDF opposition recently, has been recognised as separate bloc in the Assembly by the Speaker.

"Based on a letter from the party, KC-M will be recognised as separate bloc from the session beginning from September 26," Speaker P Sreeramakrishnan told reporters here while giving details of the 29-day long session.

KC-M has six MLAs in the 140-member Assembly.

The decision of Kerala Congress(M) to sit as a separate bloc is a setback for the UDF as its strength in the Assembly will now come down to 41.

KC(M), led by former Kerala Finance Minister K M Mani, had announced its decision to severe its ties with UDF after a meeting on August seven, following differences with Congress over the bar bribery scam.

The party, which has one MP, had said its relationship with the UPA would be issue-based.

KC(M), which has a history of switching fronts and suffering many splits since its inception in 1964, has a strong base in the central Travancore belt, especially among Christians.