KOCHI: It seems KPCC chief Mullappally Ramachandran is increasingly getting isolated in the party over his criticism of the joint protest along with CPM-led LDF against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA). More leaders from both the ‘I’ and ‘A’ groups of the party are coming out in support of Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, who shared the dais with Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan during a dharna against the new Act.
KPCC vice-president VD Satheesan, MLA, on Sunday said the protest against CAA and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) was a fight for a common cause.
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“Congress is leading the fight against the CAA along with the opposition parties at the national level. AICC president Sonia Gandhi met President Ram Nath Kovind to urge him to roll back the Act. She was accompanied by CPM leader Sitaram Yechury, DMK leader T R Baalu and CPI national general secretary D Raja. So, what is the reason to oppose such a joint protest in Kerala?” he asked. He said a decision on the joint protest with CPM and other Opposition parties was taken by the party’s national leadership.
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Later in the day, Mullappally told TNIE, “It was (Chief Minister) Pinarayi Vijayan and his close associates in the CPM politburo and central committee who scuttled the suggestion of Rahul Gandhi to join hands in fighting the fascist BJP in the 2019 elections. Why then there is a need for a joint agitation with the CPM now?”
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Satheesan’s latest comments came after AICC general secretary Oommen Chandy recently backed Chennithala on the issue. According to Chandy, Kerala has given a “good message” to the country by showing unity in its protest against the controversial Act. The Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), the second major constituent in the UDF, also extended its support to the joint protest. Kerala Congress (M) working chairman P J Joseph too had participated in the protests with the ruling LDF against CAA and NRC.
The only support for the KPCC chief came from RSP. A constituent of the UDF, RSP had strongly criticised the joint protest with CPM. Ahead of the assembly polls, the local body elections are slated for 2020. “It has been 15 months since Mullappally became the KPCC president, and in this period he could not conduct a strong protest against the ruling CPM. Besides, he failed to appoint his office-bearers too,” said a senior leader.
‘Bid to sideline Mullappally’
Sources in the Congress said the closing of the ranks of ‘I’ and ‘A’ groups is aimed at sidelining Mullappally, who is yet to finalise the KPCC functionaries even after a year under his leadership. The list of office-bearers is still pending before the high command for final nod. “Both the factions are not interested in Mullappally getting a role in major affairs, as the state assembly elections are just a year away,” said a source.