THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A photograph of a Congress member with his family drenched in rain while attending the ‘India United’ padayatra in Konni has gone viral. The picture of Praveen Plavilayil, wife Ambili and their three and a half-year-old son, Varadh, walking in the heavy rain carrying the tricolour and Youth Congress’ blue flag has become a sensation among party supporters with several leaders sharing it on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
The photo was taken by 18-year-old Kevin Thannithode during the padayatra in Konni on Sunday. Kevin who will be soon joining BCA having passed out from PSVPM Higher Secondary School, Konni, told TNIE that he was about to park his two-wheeler near a shop amid heavy rain when he saw the young Varadh holding the flag and shouting ‘Congress, Congress’.
“I realised that it was a good moment and quickly took out my Canon 200 D camera and started clicking. I never expected the photos to become viral. My mobile phone has never stopped ringing since then,” said a beaming Kevin.
Forty-two-year-old Praveen is currently a Konni block panchayat member and is also the chairman of OBC Congress in Pathanamthitta. He and wife Ambili, a management graduate in hospitality management, and their son took part in the Youth Congress padayatra amid the downpour. “I repeatedly asked Varadh to go and sit in the car, but he didn’t heed. By the time, someone gave him the YC flag. He got excited and started shouting slogans in favour of Congress. I have realised that the photos have rekindled the passion among the party workers,” Praveen told TNIE.
He had formerly served as the additional personal assistant of Adoor Prakash when the latter was the revenue minister in the Oommen Chandy government. Praveen is popular in Konni for undertaking ‘Kisan Jeep’. He collects vegetables from the farmers in the jeep and finds a market for them.