THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress Working Committee leader Ramesh Chennithala donating a month's MLA salary to Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund has opened a fresh battle ground between Congress state chief K Sudhakaran and Leader of Opposition VD Satheesan. K Sudhakaran's remark that Chennithala should not have contributed his salary to the left government's relief fund, has come under flak from VD Satheesan.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan downplayed Sudhakaran’s remarks. Talking to reporters here on Saturday, Pinarayi said there will be voices of dissent from here and there.
It was on Friday that Chennithala announced his decision to donate to the CMDRF. After visiting the landslide-hit regions in Wayanad, Chennithala wrote a Facebook post that the disaster brought tears and agony to everyone. He also urged everyone to come forward and help the affected in whatever ways they can.
On Saturday, K Sudhakaran openly expressed his resentment saying Chennithala should have donated to the party's own relief mechanism. He told reporters on Saturday that none can urge that donations should be given to the government. "The Congress party has its own forum to procure funds. All the allied organisations of the party have kicked off fundraising. Chennithala should have donated his salary to that option. It was not right on his part to donate to the CMDRF," said Sudhakaran.
Meanwhile, VD Satheesan corrected Sudhakaran reminding him that it was not the time to play politics. Speaking to the media on Saturday in Kozhikode he maintained that Sudhakaran should not have made such a statement.
“There is nothing wrong in sending money to the CMDRF. Sudhakaran should not have blamed Chennithala for his decision to contribute his MLA salary to the CMDRF. It's not the time to play politics," said Satheesan.