IDUKKI: With campaigning for the Parliament elections gaining momentum in Idukki district, the war of words between leaders too has begun. After former minister and Udumbanchola MLA M M Mani called UDF candidate Dean Kuriakose an “impotent” on Monday, saying that he was “useless” as an MP for the people of Idukki, the latter said on Tuesday that he would never stoop so low to respond to the tirade in Mani’s language.
At a party event, Mani said people should never give Idukki back into Dean’s hands again. “He has never uttered a single word in Parliament for the people of Idukki during his tenure as an MP. Hence, he doesn’t deserve a vote from the public to be elected as an MP again,” Mani said.
The CPM leader said Congress workers are more interested in self-grooming instead of public service. “They visit parlours, put on powder and pose for photos. They are least bothered about finding solutions to the issues faced by the public,” he said. The MLA said that when LDF candidate Joyce George was the Idukki MP, he stood with the people.
“The Congress workers, after seeking votes from the public, would visit only when the next election is held,” he said.
Responding to the allegations, Dean said Mani had only deceived people when he was a minister and now as an MLA.
“It was during his tenure as a minister that the state government imposed a ban on construction on the land assigned as per the Kerala Land Assignment Rules 1964. It was during his tenure as a minister that the state government, in a cabinet meeting, decided to propose fixing a one-kilometre ecosensitive zone comprising residential areas around protected forests in the state. It was the LDF government which notified 1,117 hectares including farmland in Chinnakkanal and Chenkulam as reserve forest. Besides, the government had also imposed a construction ban in 13 panchayats in the Devikulam taluk as per the disaster management act,” Dean said.
The Congress MP said Mani was slinging mud at Congress workers to divert the public from the anti-people activities the LDF had implemented in the district. Even after people lost their lives to wild animal attacks, the government has showed a lackadaisical attitude towards resolving the issue, Dean said.