THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Youth Congress state president Rahul Mamkootathil came under flak in the Congress leadership meet for his controversial comment against former leader Padmaja Venugopal after she joined the BJP. The meeting also saw senior Congress leader V M Sudheeran urging the state leadership to work united in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections. The leadership exuded confidence in sweeping the polls in the state.
It was former Congress state vice-president Sooranad Rajasekharan who raised the controversial issue of Mamkootathil’s humiliating words against Padmaja. A trusted loyalist of former chief minister and Padmaja’s father, the late K Karunakaran, Sooranad pointed out that Mamkootathil’s words reeked of haughtiness and have hurt those leaders who were close to Karunakaran.
At this juncture, Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan intervened and said that he had already made his stand clear. It should be recalled that senior Congress leader Ramesh Chennithala was the sole leader to speak against Mamkootathil when none of the other leaders bothered to correct him. The leadership core group met at the Indira Bhavan primarily to chalk out a campaign strategy.
“Sudheeran emphasised on having proper coordination at the grass-root level, which would help keep the party in good stead over political detractors. He was also keen to ensure that those mandalam-block presidents who were shifted recently were accommodated in their respective district committees,” said a senior leader who attended the meeting.
Congress state president K Sudhakaran, who is contesting from the Kannur Lok Sabha constituency, handed over the charge to UDF convener M M Hassan. Presiding over the leadership meet, Sudhakaran expressed confidence that the UDF will romp home in all 20 seats. Hassan also gave responsibilities to leaders to coordinate the campaigning. Congress Working Committee member Ramesh Chennithala has been named the campaign committee chairman.