ALAPPUZHA: Former CPM MP K S Manoj joined the Congress here on Sunday. He was handed over his membership by District Congress Committee president A A Shukur MLA in the presence of K C Venugopal MP, who was his opponent in the last Lok Sabha polls. Manoj received his membership after paying `3. Manoj said he was not a member of the CPM while he was the MP. "I had agreed when the party selected me as the CPM candidate. Thus, I contested the last two Lok Sabha elections. During the last Lok Sabha polls I was asked by the party to work as a local committee member for the CPM and I obeyed," he said.