Rebel Kerala Congress (M) leader P.C. George has written to Speaker N. Sakthan seeking permission to abstain from voting or vote against the ruling United Democratic Front (UDF) when the Assembly resumes its sitting on June 29. In his letter, sent to the Speaker on June 3, Mr. George says that he does not belong to any political party forming part of the UDF as he has been ‘ousted from the party.’
He is entitled to vote according to his conscience which is not prohibited by the Anti-Defection Law. His intention is not to bring down the government and he is quite aware of the 10{+t}{+h}Schedule of the Constitution and provisions of the Representation of the People Act and Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988. The objective of the 10{+t}{+h}Schedule is to ensure loyalty of legislators to the political party that sponsors their candidature.
“But in my case the very purpose of the Act itself is defeated and I am not allowed to participate in party meetings, party debates, discussions and the decisions of the party except the directive for voting,” Mr. George contends.
The former Government Chief Whip says that his responsibility to vote will work out only when he has some right over the party. He was not being invited to the meetings of the party or the Kerala Congress (M) legislature party. Though he was a senior member of the legislature party, his suggestions, comments or recommendations were not being solicited and in every sense he has been ousted from the party. “I have no right, relation, commanding authority in the party or over the party. At the same time, I am compelled to vote in favour of the party which is in coalition with the UDF. I believe that I am not at all entitled to vote in favour of Kerala Congress (M) and UDF since I have no right or say over the party,” Mr. George says.
