THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Mani C Kappan MLA, who recently left the NCP, has said that minister AK Saseendran had calculated to give away the Pala seat in order to secure his ministerial post. Speaking to a private channel, Kappan said that everyone, including Saseendran, knew that the Pala seat will be denied to the NCP. He also alleged that Saseendran wanted him to leave the party.

"Jose K. Mani was brought to the LDF after offering him the Pala seat. It was Saseendran who said that the NCP should offer one of its sitting seats to Jose K Mani. Though I had offered Kuttanad, they were adamant about Pala. Saseendran knew that the Pala seat would be denied to NCP and he was adamant about giving it away so that I would not stand in his way to deny him the ministerial post. That is how everything was calculated. I have informed this to Sharad Pawar and others," Kappan said.