Kerala Congress, the most eminent political initiation, was inaugurated by the Bharathakesari Mannathu Padmanabhan during a meeting which was witnessed by thousands of people gathered in the Thirunakkara Maidan at Kottayam on 9th October 1964. Protesting the anti democratic and anti farmer activities of Indian National Congress, 15 members of legislative Assembly from the parliamentary party of KPCC formed a new political initiation with the support of common labourers of Kerala.
The aim and vision of the new political initiation was to bring in to existence empowered centre and satisfied states by making real the power decentralization and democratization, by fulfilling gramaswaraj and by enforcing federal system and to work for a democratic secular socialist social system by ensuring economic socio political justice and by reassuring wellness of people.
In 1965, Kerala congress, without alliance, succeeded in winning 25 seats to Kerala legislative assembly. Later, in 1967 assembly elections, when the Indian National Congress succeeded in getting only 9 seats, Kerala Congress, without alliance got 5 seats and performed as a constructive opposition. In 1969, Sri K M George sworn in power and Kerala congress, for the first time came in power. In 1970, Kerala Congress was succeeded in getting 13 seats without alliance.
Aluva Economic Resolution which gave the party a new economic perspective, was presented by Sri K M Mani proclaiming the need for empowered centre and satisfied states in the party state committee held in Aroma Auditorium Aluva. In 1975 C Achyuthamenon government, Kerala congress party shared power and governance. Sri K M Mani and Sri R Balakrishnapillai became ministers as party representatives.
Sri K M Mani formulated a new resolution that included the lower and the middle class people, in the Kerala Congress during the state committee held in Charalkkunnu on 27th and 28th of march 1978. The Toiling Class Theory was presented by K M Mani by providing a scholarly definition changing the existing owner labourer definition and by including all labourers under the title working class. K M Mani propounded this popular resolution first time in history when not even many national political parties lacked a common resolution basis.
In 1979, Kerala Congress became a part of the LDF. A a result of the popularity gained for the Toiling Class Theory, the party got empowered under the leadership of K M Mani and in 1979, the party was renamed as Kerala Congress (M). From 1981 December to 2020 UDF was led by Kerala Congress (M).
On 9 th April 2019, the then Chairman of the Kerala Congress (M) passed away and later in 2019 June 16, during the state committee held at CMS Retreat Center Kottayam, Jose K Mani was selected as the chairman of the party. In 2020, before the tri level panchayat election, party joined the LDF and thus in 2021 Kerala legislative assembly election, led the LDF to a second victory. The party has more than 480 representatives in the tri level panchayats, 5 MLAs and an MP in Loksabha. In the present fifteenth legislative assembly and in the Left Government, Minister for water resources Roshy Augustine and N Jayaraj, the chief whip with cabinet rank represent the party.