THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ending two decades of camaraderie with the CPM, former Congress leader Cherian Philip announced his return to the parent party on Friday.
“If India has to live, then Congress should live,” he told reporters here after meeting his onetime mentor and veteran leader AK Antony.
Announcing that state president K Sudhakaran welcomed him back to the party on Thursday, 67-year old Cherian Philip said that if he switched sides during the heydays of the Congress, now it is time for him to serve the party which is not in the pink of health. He accused the left front of destroying his "political relevance" and alleged that there was no freedom of opinion in the CPM.
Despite several queries from reporters, Cherian Philip was guarded in his comments against the CPM which had appointed him as KTDC (Kerala Tourism Development Corporation) chairman and as the coordinator of Nava Keralam Mission during the tenure of VS government and the first Pinarayi government. He had contested unsuccessfully from Puthupally and Vattiyoorkavu as a CPM-backed independent.
“It is better to die at your own house than dying at an asylum. The only alternative to fascism is Congress. If Congress dies, India dies", said Cherian.
He said he stood vindicated as the State Congress has finally decided not to include office bearers who had served two terms. This led him to return to the Congress now after two decades when he had quit Congress in 2001 in protest against two-term legislators being given tickets.
"I had asked the then State Congress leadership not to give party tickets to those legislators who had already served two terms. They didn't heed and now the incumbent leadership has approved my demand. The CPM leadership never took efforts to utilize my political individuality. I do not wish to blame anyone", said Cherian Philip.
Earlier, a beaming Antony welcomed his old protégé to the Congress at his residence at Vazhuthacaud where they were huddled for some time before addressing the media together. Antony said despite Cherian Philip sharing the corridors of power at the AKG Centre, it is surprising that he never took the CPM membership.
"The only membership Cherian had taken was that of the Congress. His homecoming is being celebrated across the party as it is an act of returning to the family. The BJP Government cannot be dethroned without the Congress becoming powerful,” said Antony. He said the state congress leadership would decide on the role to be given to Cherian Philip in the party.