THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after the new crop of District Congress Committee presidents were announced in New Delhi, State Congress president K Sudhakaran came out against senior Congress leader Oommen Chandy.
Talking to reporters at his official residence at New Delhi, Sudhakaran in his inimitable style called for party discipline. At the same time, he rubbished the allegations raised by Oommen Chandy about lack of consultations having taken place to zero in on the DCC presidents.
The turn of a senior group leader coming out in the open against the State Congress leadership had caught everyone by surprise as Ramesh Chennithala's reaction was on the expected lines. Sudhakaran tried to belittle the dissent voices heard in the State over the appointment of DCC presidents.
He maintained that Congress is known for holding consultations. But Sudhakaran said he was pained at Oommen Chandy's allegations.
"Talks were held with Oommen Chandy and Chennithala twice. He should not have held such a view and look at this dairy (raising a dairy at the reporters). We have included all the names raised by Oommen Chandy and it is those names which have been included in the final list. Earlier, the two groups had divided the districts among themselves. When did they hold talks with the rest of the party office bearers to finalize the seats? Let them say that first," said Sudhakaran.
Recalling his four years as the State Congress working president under former president Mullapally Ramachandran, Sudhakaran maintained that he was never consulted in any of the party discussions.
Coming down heavily against Oommen Chandy disclosing the names of the panel of leaders' names submitted before the State leadership, Sudhakaran asked whether it was right from the part of the senior leader to do so.
Sudhakaran also rejected Chennithala's allegation that consultations were not held with him, while reiterating that two rounds of talks were held with him. Sudhakaran also stood firm on his stand to suspend senior Congress MLA K Sivadasan Nair and party general secretary (organization) KP Anil Kumar for speaking against the organisation before a live television broadcast debate.
"Usually an explanation is sought in those issues which lack clarity. Everyone had heard on the television what both Sivadasan Nair and Anil Kumar had said. The State leadership is not interested in going ahead by threatening the leaders with disciplinary action and hence we took immediate action", added Sudhakaran.
Regarding Oommen Chandy and Chennithala's outburst in public and whether they would also get the same fate as that of the suspended leaders, Sudhakaran clarified that the former merely made his views and the latter had not said anything against the party.