KPCC chief Mullappally stands firm, says no truck with CPM

According to a section within the party, Mullappally’s stance is clear as far as the Congress cadres are concerned.
Congress workers marching to the CRPF camp in Pallipuram, Thiruvananthapuram, in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on Sunday. (Photo | B P Deepu, EPS)
Congress workers marching to the CRPF camp in Pallipuram, Thiruvananthapuram, in protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on Sunday. (Photo | B P Deepu, EPS)

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee president Mullappally Ramachandran who is in the centre of a storm following his opposition to the recent joint agitation with the ruling LDF against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), told TNIE on Sunday that his ideological conviction does not allow him to have any truck with the CPM.

While toughening his stance in the face of growing criticism against him, Mullappally said, “It was 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 even after leaders national Left leaders including Sitaram Yechury, Sudhakar Reddy and D Raja had welcomed such a move.” Why then there is a need for a joint agitation with the CPM now, Mullappally asked.

“Cadres of CPM are instrumental in the brutal murder of Muslim youths Shuhaib and Arayil Shukoor as well as the recent murders of Youth Congress workers in Kasaragod. How can we share space with such a party? I can’t understand this,” he said.

ALSO READ: CPM calls Mullappally 'narrow-minded' over reluctance to join alliance against CAA

According to a section within the party, Mullappally’s stance is clear as far as the Congress cadres are concerned. “We can never go along with CPM and if such a situation arises, cadres will prefer BJP to CPM. Having represented Kannur and Vadakara Lok Sabha constituencies, Mullappally knows the pulse of the Congress workers of Malabar and how brutally party workers were assaulted by CPM,” a senior Congress leader told TNIE.

Former chief minister and AICC general secretary Oommen Chandy had also supported the joint agitation with CPM.

“The need of the hour is to have a joint agitation with all like-minded political parties to oppose the CAA and the opposition has to be stiff,” Chandy said. It may be noted that the powerful ‘I’ and ‘A’ groups in the Congress have unified to scuttle the KPCC list and Mullappally’s policy suggestion for “One man, One post”. 

The ‘I’ group was in the forefront of this. While the ‘A’ group had supported the suggestion, it backtracked, stalling the release of the list of party office-bearers.

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com