View source for Kerala Congress (Secular)

{{Other uses|Kerala Congress (disambiguation)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2019}}
{{Expand Malayalam|date=April 2015}}
{{Infobox Indian political party
|party_name = Kerala Congress (secular)
|party_logo = Kerala-Congress-flag.svg
|colorcode = Green
|chairman = Kallada Das
|headquarters = [[Poonjar]]' [[Kottayam]] (India)
|students = Kerala Students Congress (KSC)
|youth = Kerala youth front (S)
|split = *[[Kerala Congress (J)]](2004)
*[[Kerala Congress (M)]] (2015)
*[[Kerala Congress]] (2021)
|loksabha_seats = {{Composition bar|0|543|{{party color|Kerala Congress (Secular)}}}}
|rajyasabha_seats = {{Composition bar|0|245|{{party color|Kerala Congress (Secular)}}}}
|eci=State Party|merged=[[Kerala Congress (M)]] (2008), (2017)|alliance=[[National Democratic Alliance]] (2024–present)}}

'''Kerala Congress (Secular)''' is a registered regional political party in the [[India]]n state of [[Kerala]]. It was a faction of [[Kerala Congress]] led by [[P. C. George]], Eapen Varghese, and [[T. S. John]]. The party was split from [[Kerala Congress (M)]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/Kerala-Congress-Secular-Parts-ways-with-KCM/2015/04/12/article2760274.ece|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151201021602/http://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/Kerala-Congress-Secular-Parts-ways-with-KCM/2015/04/12/article2760274.ece|url-status=dead|archive-date=1 December 2015|title=Kerala Congress (Secular) Parts ways with KC(M)|website=[[The New Indian Express]]|date=12 April 2015|accessdate=11 September 2019}}</ref> It had been revived by T.S. John.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/ts-john-to-head-revived-kerala-congress-secular/article7094705.ece|title=T.S. John to head revived Kerala Congress (Secular)|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=12 April 2015|accessdate=11 September 2019}}</ref>

==History==
Kerala Congress (Secular) fraction formed after the split from [[Kerala Congress (Joseph)]] in early 2000's. Main leader of the fraction was P.C George however party chairman was [[T. S. John]]. PC George was the MLA From Poonjar. Kerala Congress (Secular) was part of LDF then. However he was expelled from LDF and forced to join UDF. Kerala Congress (Secular) became part of UDF and merged into [[Kerala Congress (M)|Kerala Congress (Mani)]] on 2010. and Pc George became vice chairman of [[Kerala Congress (M)|Kerala Congress (Mani)]] .

===Expelled By Mani Family And Revival of Kerala Congress (Secular)===
 
In 2015 Mani tried to make his [[Jose K. Mani|son]] as his successor, George tried to prevent this power exchange within the Mani family. It created a lot of problems between KM Mani and PC George. Other opponents of George also want him out of the party so they joined hands with Mani family. As a result, he was expelled from party. The supporters of PC George revived Kerala Congress (Secular) under the leadership of T. S. John.

The opponents of PC George later leaved Kerala congress (Mani) stating same reasons.

===Merger 2.0===
After the Revival of Kerala Congress (Secular) no one in the [[Politics of Kerala|kerala politics]] want to work with [[P. C. George|P.C George]]. So George was expelled from the Kerala Congress (Secular) which ultimately  created many fractions in the party, and they all tried to merge with other parties. [[P. C. George|P.C George]] later created his own party called [[Kerala Janapaksham (Secular)]] but fate is similler like Kerala Congress (Secular)

====First faction ====
First group was led by TS John, he  announced its decision to rejoin with [[Kerala Congress (M)|Kerala Congress (Mani)]].<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.theindiantelegram.com/2016/05/02/61166.html|title=കേരള കോണ്‍ഗ്രസ് (സെക്യുലര്‍) മാണി ഗ്രൂപ്പില്‍ ലയിക്കും; സ്ഥാനാര്‍ഥികള്‍ പത്രിക പിന്‍വലിച്ചു|language=ml|date=2 May 2016|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160506085614/http://www.theindiantelegram.com/2016/05/02/61166.html|archivedate=6 May 2016|url-status=usurped}}</ref> However, a section of the party led by Kallada Das, PA Alexander, A. A. Abraham decided to retain the party.<ref>http://origin.mangalam.com/print-edition/keralam/432601 {{Dead link|date=September 2019}}</ref>

====Second faction ====
Second group  of leaders led by PA Alexander and A. A. Abraham, announced its decision to merge with the [[Nationalist Congress Party]] (NCP).<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2016/sep/17/kerala-congress-secular-to-merge-with-ncp-1520743.html|title=Kerala Congress (Secular) to merge with NCP|date=17 September 2016|access-date=11 September 2019}}</ref>

====Third faction ====
Third faction led by Deacon Thomas Kayyathra merged with [[Kerala Congress (Skaria Thomas)]] group.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.mathrubhumi.com/kottayam/malayalam-news/kottayam-1.1653642|title=കേരള കോണ്‍ഗ്രസ് ലയനസമ്മേളനം|trans-title=Kerala Congress merges|language=ml|date=14 January 2014|accessdate=11 September 2019|archive-date=4 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210504024502/https://www.mathrubhumi.com/kottayam/malayalam-news/kottayam-1.1653642|url-status=dead}}</ref>

====Fourth faction====
fourth the Fraction led by Kallada Das decided to retain the party and join the [[National Democratic Alliance]].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/kerala-congress-secular-to-support-nda/article8578281.ece|title=Kerala Congress (Secular) to support NDA|work=The Hindu|date=10 May 2016|accessdate=11 September 2019}}</ref> Later this faction merged with [[Kerala Congress (Thomas)]].
In 2018, Kerala Congress (Secular) Kallada Das faction merged with [[Kerala Congress]].

====Fifth Faction====

In 2021, Kallada Das split from Kerala Congress and revived Kerala Congress (Secular). Now, Kallada Das leading the party as Chairman. Kerala Congress (Secular) has been allowed by the Election commission of India to use its native election emblem, the "Electric Bulb". since 2012, Kerala Congress (Secular) has been a companion of the NDA. In March 2024, after a meeting with BJP state President Shri K Surendran, Organisational Secretary Shri K Subhash, State General Secretary Adv. P Sudheer and BJP Leader Shri PK Krishnadas, it was announced that Kerala Congress (Secular) is a related party(അനുബന്ധ കക്ഷി) of the NDA.

==Merger move of Kerala Congress factions within NDA==
There is a move for grand-merger of Kerala Congress factions within NDA - [[Kerala Congress Democratic|Kerala Congress(D)]] of Ranjith Abraham Thomas,  [[Kerala Congress (Nationalist)|Kerala Congress(N)]] of Kuruvila Mathews, [[Kerala Congress (Secular)|Kerala Congress(S)]] of Kallada Das, [[Kerala Vikas Congress|Kerala Vikas Congress (KVC)]] of Prof. Prakash Kuriakose along with [[National Progressive Party (Kerala)|National Progressive Party]] of V. V. Augustine along with some individual former Kerala Congress leaders like [[George J. Mathew]], [[V. Surendran Pillai]], Mathew Stephen, M. V. Mani, George Sebastian, Jerry Easow Oommen, etc.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

{{Indian political parties}}

[[Category:Defunct political parties in Kerala]]
[[Category:Kerala Congress Parties]]
[[Category:Political parties established in 2004]]
[[Category:2004 establishments in Kerala]]


{{India-party-stub}}