Andr Bellavance quits the Bloc to sit as an Independent

Andr Bellavance, the Quebec MP for the ridingRichmondArthabaska, is quitting the Bloc Qubcois over differences with the party's recently elected leader Mario Beaulieu.

His departureleaves two MPsfrom the Bloc in the House of Commons but one of them has already said he will not run again in 2015.

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Bellavanceannounced during a press conference inVictoriaville, Que., Monday morning,he will serve the rest of his mandate as an Independent and will not runagain in 2015.

He blamedBeaulieufor not being able to quell thecrisis brewing inside the party and a"witch-hunt" that has seen"pro-Bellavance" supportersharassedonline for not being sovereigntist enough.

"Beaulieucalls himself a unifier, but for me, that is notthe case," Bellavance said.

"There areMPsthat are leaving, presidents of associations, members of riding associations, Bloc Qubcois staff, former MPs who had expressed an intention to return as candidates at the next election and who havedecided not to do so following his election."

Bellavanceran for the leadership of the party in June but lost toBeaulieu, who has been criticized in separatist circles for being too radical and divisive.

Beaulieudoes not have a seat in Parliament.

1 Bloc MP to run in 2015

Bellavance, who was first elected in 2004,is the third BQ MP this year who will not run again for the sovereigntistparty.

Jean-Franois Fortin, who was elected in 2011, also quit the BQ earlier this month saying the partyhe joined no longer exists.

ClaudePatry, who was elected in 2011 under the NDP banner before crossing the floor to the Bloc, has already said he won't seek re-election in 2015.

That leaves Louis Plamondon, the MP for Bas-RichelieuNicoletBcancour, as the sole Bloc MP who plans to run again for the separatist party.

"The Bloc was founded in my riding. I have it tatooedon my heart I will remain a Bloquiste until the end," he told Radio-Canada today.

Plamondon said he knew Bellavance would not run again in the next federal election but he's surprised to see him slam the door on the Bloc.

Plamondon, who was elected in 1984, saidthe party is not having any trouble recruiting new candidates. He expects their names will be made public in the fall.

Maria Mourani, the MP for the Montreal riding of Ahuntsic, quit the Bloc last year after she was expelled from caucus overher opposition to the Parti Qubcois' proposed charter of Quebec values.