THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior Congress leader V M Sudheeran has called for a “cooling off” time for politicians who switch sides. The rising trend of defections is a challenge to political morality, he said.
“Parties welcoming leaders from rival organisations should give a cooling off period to them. This should be applicable for assigning organisational responsibilities and parliamentary positions,” he said. He was speaking after inaugurating the M I Shanavas commemoration here on Thursday. The senior leader’s remarks come hardly a week after ex-BJP leader Sandeep Varier moved to the Congress.
Speaking to TNIE, Sudheeran said people have lost credibility in the political system due to rampant defections. On whether he was referring to BJP dissident Sandeep Varier’s induction into the Congress party, he said: “My comment was not aimed at any particular leader or party. This is a nationwide issue and should not be viewed narrowly,” he said.
The senior leader also raised concern over the undemocratic practices under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said the Enforcement Directorate and other Central investigation agencies were being misused to coerce rival party leaders to join the BJP. The anti-defection law should be comprehensively reformed, he said.