Kottayam (Kerala):
K.J. Alphons, a legislator and former bureaucrat who earned the sobriquet of 'demolition man' as Delhi civic chief, has decided not to contest the upcoming Kerala assembly polls.
Alphons, a Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) lawmaker, said the decision not to contest is not influenced by the party's move not to field Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan in the elections.
"I am sad that Achuthanandan was not given a seat to contest. But that is not the reason why I decided to withdraw (from the polls)," Alphons told IANS.
Alphons, 57, resigned from the Indian Administrative Service (IAS) just ahead of the 2006 assembly polls and was selected by the CPI-M to be Left Democratic Front's independent candidate.
In the polls, he trounced Congress leader Joseph Vazhaken by over 10,000 votes in Poonjar assembly constituency in Kottayam district.
"In five years as a legislator, I have proved that politicians can survive without being corrupt. I have turned my constituency into a model one with allround development. Now I feel that I have to move on and my capabilities need not be tied down to just one constituency. My canvas is the whole of India and i am prepared to work with anyone to eradicate poverty," said Alphons.