KOZHIKODE/KANNUR: Senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan came out in support of Shashi Tharoor on Monday, alleging “conspiracy by those eyeing the chief minister post” behind the Youth Congress’ decision to drop the seminar which was scheduled to be addressed by the Thiruvananthapuram MP. Within hours, state Congress president K Sudhakaran put a gag on party leaders and workers from raising the issue in public.
Meanwhile, the former UN diplomat’s trusted lieutenant M K Raghavan asserted that Tharoor alone can bring about a change in the Congress as desired by ordinary party workers.
Talking to reporters in Kozhikode, Muraleedharan said, “Everything related to what happened here is known to me. The DCC president has communicated everything to me.” He said Tharoor’s function was not a sectarian move, but a fight against the Sangh Parivar. The DCC was intimated about the seminar well in advance by Raghavan.
Muraleedharan said he will not blame the Youth Congress district president for withdrawing from the programme because he was under immense pressure.“I know the names of those behind it, but it is improper to discuss such matters on public platforms. Anyway, KPCC president has said that there is no ban on Tharoor’s programmes and it’s the final word in the party,” he added.
‘Tharoor free to attend party events after talks with DCC’
Sudhakaran issued a statement later in the day asking party leaders and workers not to come out with any public reactions which would damage the unity of the party. “Congress always ensures internal democracy. The public utterances would only dent the image of the party before the people. Leaders should abstain from making public statements in connection with Shashi Tharoor issue,” he said.
The party will discuss other issues in connection with this controversy, he said. Tharoor is a senior leader of Congress and he has all the freedom to participate in the party programmes after discussing with the DCCs concerned, said Sudhakaran. He also warned those who malign the leaders working relentlessly to strengthen the party on the social media. Such acts will not be tolerated, he added.