THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state unit of the Congress organised a prayer conclave in front of the statue of R Sankar, former chief minister and KPCC president, and lashed out at the SNDP Yogam leadership and the BJP for hijacking the legacy of the late leader whose son and daughter graced the occasion.
The conclave coincided with the unveiling ceremony of the Sankar statue in Kollam.After inaugurating the prayer meet, Chief Minister Oommen Chandy blamed SNDP leader Vellappally Natesan for renouncing the ideals and dharma espoused by Sree Narayana Guru,revered by the Kerala society. During the tenure of R Sankar as chief minister, various welfare pensions were introduced in the state. “Congress chief ministers, including the late K Karunakaran, A K Antony and myself have stood by them,” he said. “R Sankar had empathised with the downtrodden and weaker sections of society,” Chandy observed. In his address, KPCC president V M Sudheeran lambasted Vellappally and the BJP reminding them that whatever Sankar had adorned in his public life was based on the strength of being a staunch Congressman.