THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In what could prove to be a stumbling block for Shashi Tharoor finding a berth in the Congress Working Committee, party national general secretary-in-charge of Kerala Tariq Anwar has submitted a damning report to the high command on the ongoing spat centered around Tharoor’s remarks in the Kerala unit.
The report, narrating the squabbles in the state unit, is learnt to be highly critical of Tharoor, while it adopts a soft approach towards senior leader K Muraleedharan. It also mentions the controversial statements made by other state leaders after Tharoor openly jockeyed for the chief minister’s post.
The comment by senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala, after Tharoor expressed his wish to contest the assembly election snowballed into a controversy. He said, “If someone has stitched a coat for the CM post, they should leave it behind and work towards success in the parliamentary election”.
Soon, Muraleedharan responded by mocking Chennithala’s statement. He wanted to know whether there is special clothing to become the chief minister. The war of words had invited the central leadership’s attention which led to Anwar cracking the whip. He was in the state last week to attend party office bearers meet and the executive committee meeting. It is learnt that he also met state leaders personally and got a first hand information of what happened.
Before giving a report to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, Anwar was huddled with several leaders.
Speaking to TNIE on Monday, Anwar was guarded in his response on whether any action will be initiated against senior leaders. “It’s not necessary that I speak to senior leaders to maintain the decorum. I don’t think I should take it up before them,” he said.
Meanwhile, Muraleedharan confirmed to TNIE that Anwar spoke to him and sought his support. “I explained the grounds on which I made a public statement on the CM hopeful row. He was convinced with my reply. He must have spoken to all senior leaders who made open remarks,” he said. In another development Anwar also urged state Congress president K Sudhakaran and Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan to keep aside differences and work together, it is reliably learnt.