Manitoba MLA Cliff Graydon has registered to run as an Independent in the September provincial election.

The Emerson MLA was kicked out of the governing Progressive Conservative (PC) party over inappropriate remarks made to female staff members at the legislature.

Graydon says the support of voters has prompted him to seek re-election, this time in the new Borderland constituency 

"The good people of Borderland at every event in this last while have been encouraging me to run because they said 'You've done a great job for us in the past, both as a caucus member and as an Independent, you took our concerns forward and we really appreciate that and we'd like you to continue' ".

Graydon previously said he would retire from politics after being booted from the government backbenches. He notes, however, quite a few voters have asked him to run again because they are dissatisfied with how the Pallister government has handled a number of issues.

"(Like) the illegal immigrants and they are certainly unsatisfied with the way we've dealt with the education tax on agricultural land and for years we said we would remove it, we've done nothing with it," he said. 

The former PC MLA was asked if his candidacy in Borderland might split the conservative vote in the new constituency.

"It's not my goal to split any votes. My goal is to support the people that have elected me in the past and to do that going forward. I haven't started a fight to split any votes, I've started this to win the election," replied Graydon.

The veteran politician is going up against Tory candidate Josh Guenter, Liberal Loren Braul and Liz Cronk of the NDP. 

Voters head to the polls September 10th.