THIRUVANATHAPURAM: The split in Congress (S) became formal on Tuesday with the faction led by suspended general secretary N V Pradeep Kumar expelling party president and Devaswom Minister Ramachandran Kadannappally from the post. A meeting of the state committee convened by Pradeep Kumar adopted a resolution expelling Kadannappally. It elected Pradeep Kumar as the new president of the Congress(S).
''Kadannappally should quit as Minister as the position was granted by the LDF to the Congress(S),'' demanded Pradeep Kumar after the meeting.
The Congress(S) faction led by Pradeep Kumar gave a letter to LDF convenor Vaikom Viswan on Tuesday claiming that it was the original Congress(S).
''Of the 148 district and state committee members, 88 attended today's meeting. Several others offered support over the phone,'' said Pradeep.
Presidents of Alappuzha, Pathanamthitta, Palakkad, Kozhikode, Malappuram and Idukki districts were also present in Tuesday's meeting. The Pradeep faction also claimed that they had the support of Thiruvananthapuram, Kollam and Kottayam district presidents.
Meanwhile, a state committee meeting of the Congress(S) convened by Ramachandran Kadannappally in Kochi approved the decision to suspend Pradeep Kumar.
Sources close to Kadannappally said eight district presidents and 10 out of 13 state officebearers attended the meeting.
Reacting to the news of his expulsion, Kadannappally said that the suspended general secretary didn't have any right to expel him.