KOCHI/THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: After being reprimanded by members of the Congress political affairs committee (PAC) over his tussle with Shashi Tharoor, state Congress president K Sudhakaran said the Thiruvananthapuram MP was an asset to the party.
“We will utilise his abilities. There is no controversy. I have talked to Tharoor in New Delhi and settled the issues. He will work for Congress as per the leadership’s directives,” Sudhakaran told reporters at the DCC office in Kochi. He said Tharoor will not be isolated in Congress. He denied reports of facing flak at the PAC meet.
Both Sudhakaran and Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan had come under fire at PAC meeting on Sunday over the Tharoor issue. Convened after five months, the meeting also saw members flaying Sudhakaran over his recent statement that Jawaharlal Nehru had accommodated communal fascism. UDF convenor M M Hassan targeted Sudhakaran, who replied that he didn’t mean to compromise on communalism.
Hassan was irked as the gain made by the party following Rahul Gandhi’s comment against Hindutva ideologue V D Savarkar was short-lived due to Sudhakaran’s remarks which were lapped up by the national media.
Sudhakaran’s comments against the IUML during a TNIE ‘Express Dialogues’ session also came up at the meeting. Though Sudhakaran denied making the statement, both Hassan and Satheesan maintained he did as was made clear by a video of the interview. A section of leaders opined that Sudhakaran’s remarks had strained the party’s relationship with the Muslim League and had given CPM an opportunity to capitalise on the situation.
Satheesan too was targeted over the Tharoor issue. He had indirectly called the MP a ‘media-inflated balloon. His flip-flop on the chief minister-governor standoff was also raised at the meeting.
Party revamp in three months: K Sudhakaran
The meeting hailed the League for giving a befitting reply to CPM. CPM state secretary M V Govindan had on Friday said League was not a communal party. On Saturday, IUML state president Panakkad Sadiqali Shihab Thangal responded that the League will stand firm in UDF. Sudhakaran also announced that the party revamp will be completed within three months.
“The renomination of KPCC president has not taken place so far. However, AICC has directed to complete the reorganisation process. Though not a total revamp, leaders who have been inactive will be removed and new faces will be accommodated,”
Sudhakaran said. He also asked the CPM to make clear its stand on IUML. “The League leadership has responded to the CPM. Now, the latter has to clarify its official stand,” he said. On a query on Tharoor, MP K Muraleedharan said none had been prohibited from party programmes.
“Anyone can attend the party programmes in any district. However, the DCCs concerned should be informed,” said Muraleedharan. He said the meeting also discussed calling PAC meetings every month. Senior leaders Oommen Chandy and Ramesh Chennithala did not attend.
Agitation planned
The PAC meeting decided to launch a statewide agitation against the LDF government on the fall in prices of agricultural crops and farmers’ crisis. It will also conduct a campaign against the increasing drug menace in Kerala.